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https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Wikiversity:Main_Page
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Portal:Social Sciences
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2026-04-21T10:52:14Z
Abhinaya hindi
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__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__
{{{{#titleparts:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|1}}/start tab|Abhinaya=This is Abhinaya (Sisters).}}
{{box-transclude|Introduction|The {{BASEPAGENAME}} Portal}}
<div style="float:left; width:66%; min-width:300px;">
{{{{FULLPAGENAME}}/box-header|Featured Resource|{{FULLPAGENAME}}/Featured Resource}}
{{#invoke:Portals|lede|{{#invoke:Portals|randomlink|{{FULLPAGENAME}}/Featured Resource}}}}
{{clear}}
{{{{FULLPAGENAME}}/box-footer|}}
{{{{FULLPAGENAME}}/box-header|Featured Picture|{{FULLPAGENAME}}/Featured Picture}}
[[{{#invoke:Portals|randomlink|{{FULLPAGENAME}}/Featured Picture}}]]
{{{{FULLPAGENAME}}/box-footer|}}
</div>
<div style="float:right; width:33%; min-width:150px;">
{{box-transclude|Categories}}
{{box-transclude|Related Categories}}
{{box-transclude|Related Portals}}
</div>
{{clear}}
{{{{FULLPAGENAME}}/box-header|Major Wikiversity Portals|{{FULLPAGENAME}}}}
{{Portals}}
{{{{FULLPAGENAME}}/box-footer|}}
{{{{FULLPAGENAME}}/box-header|Wikimedia|{{FULLPAGENAME}}}}
{{Wikimedia for portals|page={{titleparts|1}}}}
{{{{FULLPAGENAME}}/box-footer|}}
{{Reflist}}
{{end tab}}
[[Category:Social sciences |{{FULLPAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Subject portals|{{PAGENAME}}]]
81rux53j1x4gx5f2dalgn476228zvz0
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2026-04-21T11:48:25Z
Atcovi
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Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/Abhinaya hindi|Abhinaya hindi]] ([[User_talk:Abhinaya hindi|talk]]) to last version by [[User:Bkissin|Bkissin]] using [[Wikiversity:Rollback|rollback]]
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__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__
{{{{#titleparts:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|1}}/start tab}}
{{box-transclude|Introduction|The {{BASEPAGENAME}} Portal}}
<div style="float:left; width:66%; min-width:300px;">
{{{{FULLPAGENAME}}/box-header|Featured Resource|{{FULLPAGENAME}}/Featured Resource}}
{{#invoke:Portals|lede|{{#invoke:Portals|randomlink|{{FULLPAGENAME}}/Featured Resource}}}}
{{clear}}
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{{{{FULLPAGENAME}}/box-header|Featured Picture|{{FULLPAGENAME}}/Featured Picture}}
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User:OhanaUnited
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2805645
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OhanaUnited
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I am Andrew. I hold a Ph.D degree in Environmental Science from University of Toronto. I'm the editor-in-chief for [[WikiJournal of Science]].
I'm an administrator on [[w:User:OhanaUnited|English Wikipedia]], checkuser and administrator on [[voy:User:OhanaUnited|English Wikivoyage]], and bureaucrat on [[:species:User:OhanaUnited|WikiSpecies]]. If you need help on these projects, just drop me a message in my talk page (preferably in the corresponding project's talk page which you require help on).
Old page: [[User:OhanaUnited/Sister Projects Interview|Sister Projects interview]].
ezq6rn2a470l88hphrwbiuv7k5c7hni
Regular expressions
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2026-04-20T20:01:19Z
Jummajk
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A '''regular expression''' (or '''regex''') is a string of characters, (some of which being reserved control characters,) which represent a pattern <ref>Martelli, ''Python in a nutshell'', p.203</ref>, i.e. a string designed to match a particular sequence of characters. Regular expressions provide the basic tool in searching, and are ubiquitous in the electronic world.
==Getting started==
There are many editors with regex functionalities. Here are a few examples (Please feel free to add or remove if you find better ones.)
*[http://regexlib.com/RETester.aspx Regex tester] - try your hand at regex here
*[https://regex101.com Regex101] - compose and test your regex
*[[meta:User:Pathoschild/Scripts/Regex menu framework]] - a simple and useful wiki-editing javascript
*[http://www.codeproject.com/KB/dotnet/regextutorial.aspx Codeproject]
*[http://editpadpro.com] - a useful editor with regex functionality
*[https://www.geany.org Geany editor] - a flexible, extensible free and open source editor that supports regex for search and replace operations
*[http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/emacs/Regexps.html Regexps manual] - Emacs regular expression manual
*[https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/2077# Regex tester] - a firefox add-on
*[https://mytoolforge.com/regex-debugger Regex debugger] - Debug your reguler expression
== Learning materials ==
== A lightning introduction==
There are several "dialects" (e.g. javascript, perl, php, python) of regular exprssions which differ slightly in grammar. Let us focus on python regex for the moment (because I happen to have a reference <ref>Alex Martelli, ''Python in a nutshell'' {{ISBN|0596100469}}</ref> for it).
===Control characters===
*Python regex has the control characters :
<code>\-.*+?$<!=|()[]^:#</code>
===First examples===
[please verify]
*Any string (e.g. {{/h|abcdefg}})which does not contain any [[#Control characters|control characters]] is trivially a regular expression ("regex") pattern. It matches only itself
*The pattern {{/h|[A-Z]}} matches a character between A and Z (in the [[ASCII]] table)
*A backslash (\) followed by any control character, such as {{/h|\.}} or even the backslash itself {{/h|\\}}, match the character itself (this pattern is called an "escape"). In our examples, \. matches the single dot . and \\ matches the backslash
*Combining the two examples above, the pattern {{/h|[A-Za-z0-9\-]}} matches any single alphanumeric character or the dash "-".
*The pattern {{/h|\n}} matches a newline
*The pattern <code><span style="background:#cccc33;">abc.xyz</span></code> matches a string that starts with abc, then contains any character except an end-of-line character, then ends with xyz
*The pattern {{/h|a*}} matches a string with as many characters "a" as possible; it also matches the empty string "".
*Combining the previous two examples, we get a very common pattern: {{/h|abc.*xyz}} matches a string which starts and ends with "abc" and "xyz" respectively, and between which is the longest available string (which could be empty) of any character except the newline.
== Exercises ==
* Question: What is {{/h|[A-Za-z0-9\-]}}?
*Write a regular expression to match (a) the URL of any wikiversity page; (b) the URL for any page on any wikimedia site, and (c) the email address of all your friends. Check with a regex editor that your regex actually works.
===Write your proposed solutions below===
*
== Further lessons ==
[proposals]
*[[/Basics]] - the bare minimum to get one start working
*[[/Groups]]
*[[/How a regex engine works]]
*[[/Lookahead and lookbehind]]
*[[/Regex objects in python]]
*[[/The good and the bad]]
*[[/Cookbook]]
== Wikimedia links==
*[[b:regular expressions]]
*[[w:regular expressions]]
*[[mediawiki:titleblacklist]] - an application on wikiversity
== External links==
* [http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net/uk/regExpList.php Using regular expressions in Notepad ++]
* [http://regexlib.com/CheatSheet.aspx regex library cheatSheet]
* [http://www.regular-expressions.info/ regex tutorials]
* [http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/services/helpsheets/unix/regex.html Regex helpsheet at etext.lib.virginia.edu]
* [http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/essential/regex/index.html Regular Expressions Lesson for Java]
* [https://www.princeton.edu/~mlovett/reference/Regular-Expressions.pdf Princeton: Regular Expressions - The Complete Tutorial]
==Notes==
<references/>
[[Category:Regular expressions| ]]
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IB History Review Guide/The Second World War
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~2026-24246-23
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==World War Two==
===The Second World War, 1939 to 1945: causes, course and consequences===
====From the Syllabus====
:*international diplomacy in the inter-war years
:*appeasement, collapse of the league of nations
:*aggressive policies of Hitler and Mussolini
:*total war and its effects
:*war in the air, at sea, on land, the home front
:*political, social and economic consequences of the war
===Glossary of Terms===
===Events leading to World War Two===
----
'''The Anschluss'''
:*'''January 1938''': Hitler strengthens his position by removing non-Nazis from key positions.
:*'''February 12th 1938''': Hitler threatens the Austrian Chancellor [[w:Schluschnigg|Schuschnigg]] in order for him to remove anti-Nazi measures and allow Austrian Nazis to enter the government.
:*'''March 9th 1938''': [[w:Schuschnigg|Schuschnigg]] declares that he will hold a referendum concerning Hitler's measures.
:*'''March 11th 1938''': Schuschnigg orders the Austrian army not to fire on German troops. Hitler hears that [[w:Mussolini|Mussolini]] would not oppose a German move on Austria.
:*'''March 12th 1938''': German troops enter Austria.
:*'''March 13th 1938''': Hitler annexes Austria.
'''Takeover of Sudetenland'''
:*'''March 1938''': Hitler meets with Sudeten-Nazi leader, [[w:Konrad Henlein|Konrad Henlein]], and tells him to make unacceptable demands for autonomy so Hitler could intervene.
:*'''April 1938''': British and French urge Czechoslovakia to make the maximum number of concessions.
:*'''May 20th 1938''': Czechoslovakian president orders partial mobilization. France warns Hitler against any invasion.
:*'''May 30th 1938''': Hitler orders generals to prepare for an invasion by September if the issue isn't resolved.
:*'''September 7th 1938''': Article in '''The Times''' suggests that Czechoslovakia should hand over the Sudetenland to Germany.
:*'''September 12th 1938''': In a party speech, Hitler verbally attacks the Czechs.
:*'''September 13th 1938''': [[w:Chamberlain|Chamberlain]] suggests a meeting with Hitler.
:*'''September 15th 1938''': Chamberlain goes to Berchtesgaden. Hitler agrees to wait for a peaceful settlement, but orders his generals to carry out the invasion anyway.
:*'''September 19th 1938''': Chamberlain-Hitler meeting at Bad Godesberg. Hitler wants the entire Sudetenland. Chamberlain refuses.
:*'''September 24th 1938''': Czech mobilization completed. The French call up the reserves.
:*'''September 28th 1938''': British navy prepare for war.
:*'''September 29th-30th 1938''': [[w:Munich Conference|Munich Conference]]. Hitler is [[w:appeasement|appeased]] and given the Sudetenland. Chamberlain foolishly declares that he has secured "Peace in our time".
:*'''March 1939''': What is left of Czechoslovakia falls under German influence.
'''The Invasion of Poland'''
:*'''October 1938''': [[w:Ribbentrop|Ribbentrop]] asks for the return of Danzig. Poland refuses.
:*'''January 5th 1939''': Hitler offers the Ukraine (then Soviet territory) in return for Danzig and the Polish corridor.
:*'''March 1939''': Britain offers to guarantee Polish territory.
:*'''April 3rd 1939''': Hitler orders the army to prepare for plans to attack Poland.
:*'''April 28th 1939''': Hitler denounces the non-aggression pact made with Poland in 1934.
:*'''May 22nd 1939''': [[w:Pact of Steel|Pact of Steel]] between Germany and Italy. USSR makes an offer to ally with France and Britain, but negotiations are so slow that the USSR becomes suspicious of their motives.
:*'''August 24th 1939''': Non-aggression pact between Russia and Germany. Contains a 'Secret Protocol' which agrees to divide Poland. England and France horrified at this alliance.
:*'''September 1st 1939''': German troops invade Poland.
:*'''September 3rd 1939''': Great Britain and France declare war on Germany.
===Causes of World War Two===
----
'''Unopposed Aggression by Japan, Italy, and Germany'''
'''Japanese Aggression'''
::*'''September 1931''': Japan attacks China.
:::*[[w:Mukden incident|Mukden incident]].
::* Chinese appeal to the [[w:League of Nations|League of Nations]]. Council of the League asks both parties to withdraw their forces.
::*Japanese complete their conquest of Manchuria.
::*[[w:Lord Lytton Report|Lord Lytton Report]] condemns Japanese action and dubbed [[w:Manchukuo|Manchukuo]] a puppet creation.
::*'''March 1933''': Japan withdraws from the league of Nations.
::* The United States and the League of Nations take no action.
::* '''July 1937''': [[w:Marco Polo Bridge|Marco Polo Bridge]] incident.
'''Italian Aggresion'''
::*'''December 1934''': Clash between Italian troops and an Abyssinian escort at Walwal. Abyssinia appeals to the league.
::*'''May 1935''': Abysinnia appeals again to the league.
::*'''October 3rd 1935''': Mussolini launches his attack on Abysinnia. League declares Italy to be an aggresor and imposes some limited economic sanctions.
::*Britain and France propose an unacceptable deal which secures Abysinnian territory for Italy.
::*'''May 1936''': Italians capture capital of Addis Ababa.
::* Sanctions eventurally dropped.
'''German Aggresion'''
::*'''March 7th 1936''': Hitler sends troops into the demilitarized Rhineland in opposition to the Versailles and Locarno treaties. Note: Officers carried notes to withdraw in the event of French resistance.
===Consequences of World War Two===
-Germany split up (France, Britain, USSR and USA all have a part of germany. Berlin is divided the same (in 4))
-Superpower, middle power, little power
-COLD WAR
-1945- UN charter (this time America does join)
-Europe further split up SUCCESSOR STATES
[[Category:Pages moved from Wikibooks]]
[[Category:World War II]]
hsdzqhaoadou4njph3ipgx35wczycp9
User talk:Atcovi
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2026-04-21T06:50:53Z
MediaWiki message delivery
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/* The Signpost: 21 April 2026 */ new section
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[[User:Atcovi/Archive 1|/Archive 1 (September 25, 2013 - November 15, 2013)]] • [[User talk:Atcovi/Archive 2|/Archive 2 (November 15, 2013 - November 27, 2013)]] • [[User talk:Atcovi/Archive 3|/Archive 3 (December 3, 2013 - December 25, 2013)]] • [[User talk:Atcovi/Archive 4|/Archive 4 (December 24, 2013 - January 1, 2014)]] • [[User talk:Atcovi/Archive 5|/Archive 5 (January 2, 2014 - January 20, 2014)]] • [[User talk:Atcovi/Archive 6|/Archive 6 (March 24, 2014 - April 14, 2014)]] • [[User talk:Atcovi/Archive 7|/Archive 7 (April 19, 2014 - September 8, 2014)]] • [[User talk:Atcovi/Archive 8|/Archive 8 (September 12, 2014 - November 3, 2014)]] • [[User talk:Atcovi/Archive 9|/Archive 9 (November 6, 2014 - January 26, 2015)]] • [[User talk:Atcovi/Archive 10|/Archive 10 (January 28, 2015 - March 11, 2015)]] • [[User talk:Atcovi/Archive 11|/Archive 11 (March 22, 2015 - June 25, 2016)]] • [[User talk:Atcovi/Archive 12 (June 26, 2016 - January 8, 2018)|/Archive 12 (June 26, 2016 - January 8, 2018)]] • [[User talk:Atcovi/Archive 13 (January 9, 2018 - April 14, 2023)|/Archive 13 (January 9, 2018 - April 14, 2023)]]
:''Before 2013: [https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=User_talk:Atcovi&diff=750617&oldid=740650 see this]''
{{tmbox
|small =
|image = [[Image:Busy desk.svg|{{#ifeq:|yes|40px|75x50px}}]]
|text = This user is busy in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_life Real Life] {{#if:|until {{{end}}} }}{{#if:|due to {{{reason}}} }}and may not respond swiftly to queries.{{#if:|<P>{{{msg}}} }}
| style = {{#if:|width: {{{width}}}px;}} {{#ifeq:{{{shadow}}}|yes|{{box-shadow|0px|2px|4px|rgba(0,0,0,0.2)}}|}}
}}
== Hydrangeas and Me (Short Story in Progress) ==
'''CHAPTER 1''':
It was a rainy Monday morning. The overcast clouds brought about a wave of light gray over the world, allowing the rain its refuge from the harsh sun. I woke up earlier than usual, due to the incessant knocking of light rain on my window. I rose from my bed, spread open the curtains, and raised the blinds. I looked outside, admittedly a bit upset about the current state of weather, and stepped down to change into my school uniform.
The walk to school would prove a bit more difficult today because of the light spray, so I prepared my best umbrella and opened the door, ready to face the world. Each of my steps pittered and pattered. Water began to soak through my sole to my foot, giving me quite an icky feeling. I walked, feeling as if sponges had been rubber banded to my feet. I saw other students making the commute as well. Some of them rose their feet in comedic ways to avoid all the water, to no avail. Others ignored the puddles and continued forward. ''Rather courageous…'' I thought to myself, smiling lightly. Little moments like these can bring happiness, even in this less-than-desired weather.
Eventually, me and the other hoards of students successfully made their way to the front gate. Some teachers decided to move under the canopy of the school’s main entrance, instead of their typical formation at the school’s gate. As I entered the canopy, I closed my umbrella and shook off the rain on the tiles in front of the glass door. Some other students mimicked my behavior and I laughed, albeit embarrassingly. I walked into the school, put my umbrella on the stand and marched toward my shoe locker before changing into the inside schools that were required of us.
''Today… I hope…'' Unlike the other mundane days, today was a lot more exciting. She would be there, in the garden of hydrangeas. After the change, I noted the time. 7:30. I would have a good amount of time to see her. I rushed with a silly look on my face to the library. Toward the back, there were several large windows which looked out upon the gardening club’s area of operation. I made sure to pick a table that was close to the windows. I turned my head outside, and like clockwork, she stood there tending to the flowers.
Today, because of the rain, she wore a little umbrella cap supplied to the club to fend off the rain. She stood and cut stems with tiny gardening scissors. Her look was focused, yet soft. She didn’t seem like she wanted to injure the flowers, as if they meant everything to her. Each movement and cut, every one seemed to take special care toward the hydrangeas. I sat holding my head up with one hand watching her. Today’s view was particularly beautiful. Maybe the rain isn’t so bad for today.
The girl in the garden walked toward the shed to grab a few more tools. There were about 20 more minutes until the first bell would ring. Despite that, she continued to work. Her soft look and gaze had enraptured me, it reminded me of more innocent times. It reassured me, and it calmed me. Everytime I did this, I would feel so tired and relaxed. I wish I could watch for hours. Today, I want to change things. I don’t want to watch from afar anymore. I wish to know more about this girl who tends to the garden. What kind of flowers does she like? How long has she been tending to this garden? Many, many questions trying to flow out to reach their answered counterparts. 15 minutes left, if I want to do this I better act fast.
Tens of days spent watching, relaxed, for it suddenly to turn to stress and anxiety. Would she accept me? Is this her own personal time I'm trying to infringe upon? Each doubt weighed my steps like ankle weights, but despite it all, I continued forward. I opened the glass door and went outside, with no umbrella. The rain was rather light, so it didn’t pose much of a threat to my clothing. Upon opening the door, the girl in the garden noticed my entrance. Suddenly the image became reality, like entering a painting. The smell of dirt and flowers, mixed with rain. Her appearance is much more real.
“H-hello…” I stammer, honestly not knowing what else to say.
“Hi! What brings you to the garden, were you interested in joining the club?” She directs that typical soft smile in my direction. It’s very hard to not turn away from such a bright light. The rain complemented her well, like a warm bowl of porridge.
What should I say? I hadn’t intended on joining this club, but what do I say aside from that? However, I don’t want to lie…
“I wanted… to talk to you. To ''see'' you.” Ehhh… that’s not right.
The girl’s expression seems to lighten, giving me a good chance to make eye contact. She seems a bit confused.
“Do we know each other? I don’t remember ever seeing you in class… I’m sorry…”
“The hydrangeas, I mean. I want to talk to you about the hydrangeas.”
Her quizzical expression turns even brighter than the one she showed me first.
“Oh! What would you like to know?” she’s smiling brightly, and tilts forward a bit waiting for my response.
A conversation…! We’re having a conversation! Ahhh… I’m so excited but I have to keep my cool.
“You cut the flowers with those scissors, why? Does that not hurt them?”
“Ah! It’s a process called pruning… “ She snips her scissors up toward me. She turns around and beckons me to one of the many bushes. I follow suit.
“These… are buds. It’s where the flower grows from. We prune them for many reasons, but most of the time it’s because the flower or stem is diseased.”
I’m smiling so much right now, I can’t contain myself. So much stimulation just from a little conversation. I laugh a bit, out loud.
“Hmmm…?” She looks up at me, hearing my light laughter.
I quickly blush, becoming a bit embarrassed. “S-sometimes… It’s the little things that bring me happiness…” My signature phrase comes out, resulting in a large smile formulating on my face.
The girl looks at me, and reflects my smile. “Do you like hydrangeas, too?”
“I-I think I do?”
The girl erupts into laughter, and I can’t help but join in.
“You think? Well, maybe you should think a little more… about the kinds of flowers you like. And maybe the kinds of things you say, as well?”
She lightly teases me, before standing up. “Do you have any other questions about these flowers?”
I think. An important question… yet familiar. “Do ''you'' like hydrangeas?”
I reflect her question back on her. Her expression grows warm, as if I can see the colors of her mood changing before me.
“I do… They bring me a lot of my own happiness, too.” I think back to what I said earlier and smile again. “In the rain… they are so beautiful too! It makes me think of…” She pauses. “Tears of joy, or maybe the feeling of contentment. They are so… simple. Y’know it’s not just people that can talk… These flowers can too. And when you listen close enough, you find out that they have a lot to say.”
“I’m not sure I can understand…”
“That’s okay, we all have to start somewhere.” She smiles mischievously, before walking toward the shed. “We have about 5 minutes to class, you know…? What’s your name?”
I panic over the fact that we have so little time, partially because my class is on the opposite side of where we are now. “I-I’m Akio…”
“Well, Akio, thanks for talking to me… I’ll see you around!”
“Same to you!”
I walk back to the glass door before looking toward her again. She’s working in the shed, putting her tools away. I open the door inside. For some reason, leaving that rainy hydrangea world hurt me when I walked inside. As if the dryness was worse than rain…
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'''Date: 2018/07/21'''
'''Today, when I was tending to the hydrangeas, a boy approached me and asked me about them. I was nervous at first, because I didn’t know what he wanted.'''
'''He wanted to ask about the flowers I was tending to, and why I was pruning them. We talked a little bit after this. He seems interesting… yet suspicious! I will keep an eye out…'''
'''Again, me and Mom fought. It hurts a lot when we fight, I say things that I don’t mean to say. She wants me to do so many things, but I’m just one person. I think she’s just living through me… I love her, but I want to be my own person. Making my own choices and decisions.'''
'''School was bland, except for the gardening club (as usual)! We have a field trip to a sunflower field coming up. It’s always so beautiful to see those fields in the summer… I hope the skies are blue that day. Maybe me and the club members can take photographs.'''
'''Ahh… I CAN’T WAIT!'''
'''Sincerely (again),'''
'''Hana'''
That night when I got home, I plopped back on my bed. Hours of lecturing and note-taking always takes quite a toll on me. Well, mostly everyone else too. If you think any of that is fun, I must commend you. My bookbag slid onto the floor as I unbuttoned my uniform. I felt a bit too lazy to do anything else other than rest. I noticed a pencil was sticking from my shirt pocket, if left unnoticed it might’ve poked me. I removed it, and threw it across the room. Just cause?
Downstairs, I could hear the door open and close. “Akio, we’re home!” My mother called. “Welcome back.” I didn’t really attempt to yell this so I’m not too certain as to if the both of them actually heard that.
“Man…” I thought back to earlier this morning, when me and… And…? “Ah!” I exclaimed aloud, recognizing my mistake. I forgot to ask her name. I wonder?
“Akane? Hmm, maybe too harsh…” A soft complexion, warm smile… a love of flowers?
“Aki… Akemi…” Maybe I shouldn’t focus on A’s so much. Yet that letter seems like it would make some sense.
I kept deliberating as to what her name could potentially be before my thinking was interrupted. I heard a knock at the door. “Akio?”
“Yeah, Mom?”
“I didn’t hear you welcome us, so I thought maybe you were out? You surprised me…”
“Sorry. ‘Welcome Home!’”
“Don’t tease! How was school?”
“Better than usual… Aside from the rain maybe.”
“Oho? Anything new happen?”
I thought back to how I expressed meeting the girl in the garden as ‘entering a painting.’
“‘Things may look up in your favor’” I said, like reading a fortune cookie.
“Very funny. Well, I’m glad…” My mom flashes me a warm smile, before leaving the room and closing the door.
“Don’t forget, this weekend is the festival in town. Your father and I will be going, you can come along too if you’d like?” She speaks through the door.
“Hmm… Maybe. Let me think about it.”
“Okay.”
I hear her footsteps as she makes her way down the stairs. I look up at the ceiling and use my body weight to launch myself from the comfort of my bed. I trudge over to my bookbag and collect a few slips of homework and textbooks.
“Time for the long haul…”
A few hours pass, as I complete sheet after sheet. I’m careful to review what we learned from our textbooks. My hand grows tired of writing and my eyes get weary. I look up at the clock.
10:32 PM. Yeesh, it’s rather late now. Best to get to sleep.
I close my blinds, and shut the curtains before making my final approach to the blanket kingdom that is my bed. It’s warm and fuzzy, and makes me smile with contentment. I hope that this feeling lasts forever.
Next week… Can’t come any sooner…
Maybe…
Sleep takes me before I can finish my thought.
'''CHAPTER 2''':
“...”
My classroom door is shut, it seems the teacher has yet to arrive. I really have to stop getting here so early. The hallway seems rather barren this morning. Yet again, the rain continues and won’t let up. Even if it’s monsoon season, I want at least one sunny day, y’know?
I sit down next to the door and put my bookbag next to me, I feel rather sleepy. The fatigue from last night’s battle still sits on my shoulders. “Hahhh…”
“Tired today, Akio?” A voice stirs me, yet my eyes remain closed. “Mmm…”
Wait. Who’s voice is that? I open my eyes and turn to see who spoke.
“Ah!” I yelp, accidentally. I quickly sit up, and try to straighten myself out.
“H-hello! Yes, last night, so much homework… Not much sleep either.”
It was the girl from the garden, and I was very startled. I couldn’t handle the cognitive dissonance of seeing her in the hallway. It was a first, and the fact that she was talking to me exacerbated this feeling a hundredfold.
“I see. Well, I’m going to my classroom. See ya..!”
The girl makes her way up the hallway, marching with great purpose.
Mgghhh. A brief exchange, yet…
“W-wait…!”
She turns around. She seems a little startled by the amount of force I put into my voice. The hallway was rather empty, save for us two, after all.
“I never… got your name. Might I-I ask what it is?”
“Oh! You’re right! It’s Hana… Can’t believe I never told you. Apologies.”
Hana. Hana. A lot of A’s, huh?
Eventually, the teacher and a few students march up the opposite end of the hallway to our classroom. “Early today, Akio?” The teacher says, as he unlocks the door with her key.
“Something like that…” I responded. I’m admittedly a little embarrassed by what just happened in the hallway, even though it went rather well. An after-effect of love, I suppose.
The door finally opens and the smell of the classroom fills my nose. It’s rather comforting, but also fills me with boredom. The brief period of movement I get from door to chair is simply too little for my antsy legs. Maybe if they made every desk a treadmill it would alleviate the problem. I chuckle to myself at the thought of some of my classmates trying to keep up.
I walk and sit down at my desk, awaiting today’s lesson. A friend of mine, Jiro, turns to me. He had found his desk a bit before me.
“Oi, Akiooo! So early, today? What gives?”
“I’m always early.”
“Pshhh! Sure… Tell that to yourself last week, Mr. 5-minutes-after-the-bell”
“I’ll have you know that is not my last name.”
Me and Jiro have been friends since the start of the school year, we haven’t really known each other long, but due to our desks being in close proximity and our great chemistry, we’ve been able to get really close.
Jiro is rather eccentric and energetic. It’s a great match for my rather calm personality. We’d make a perfect straight man/funny man duo, if we were to pursue comedy.
“Yo, Akio, the festival is coming to town. And… We’ve never even hung out!? Let’s change that!” Jiro flashes a corporate smile, as if he was pitching his company’s product to a stern investor.
“Hmm… My parents asked me about the same thing…”
“It’s me or it’s them, Akio. No in betweens! I thought we had something…” Jiro pretends to tearfully sob, putting me in a rather awkward situation. Other students settling in begin to look at us.
“Ok, ok… Maybe I’ll go with you, I had a choice to begin with. I’ll have an answer for you by tomorrow.”
“Perfect! It’s a date, then!” Jiro attempts to make his most masculine face, but I can’t help but start laughing.
“Good joke?” Jiro says, smiling lightly.
“More like a good face, that got me.”
“Nihihi!” Jiro’s face reminds me of a cat when he does this.
After this exchange, the teacher begins to give some announcements before class. Some of them pertaining to festival safety, seeing as a great majority of us would be in attendance. Others included information about clubs, the coming exams, and career documents.
All of us were in 12th grade, so after this, it was time to move on to the big world and get to work. Honestly, anytime I would hear anything about career forms or schooling after high school would always scare me. I was worried about putting myself out there in the world, afraid of what might come from that. Knowing that everyone else would have to face the same thing, it did make me feel a bit better. That light knot in my stomach still wouldn’t go away, however.
The class passed by, uneventfully. The teacher talked in great detail about some wars, called on a few clueless students, and sighed a great many times. The typical class experience. Jiro got the golden ticket today, he was sleeping when he was called on. I’ve never seen a stick of chalk fly so fast and hit so hard. I could’ve sworn that he would be sent flying, but he started holding his head in pain. I laughed, but quickly fixed my expression when he looked at me with “the stare of a thousand deaths.”
As we all began to walk out of the classroom after the bell, the hallways were flooding with oceans of students. Luckily, I had a boat and paddle to bear the waves. Or, maybe just experience?
'''*'''
The rest of the school day passed by, the classes got faster with each one that came and went. I put my shoes on, and walked out from the entrance. It was cloudy today, but there was no rain. Maybe it’s really starting to grow on me. The rain usually maddens and annoys me, but this year I want to see it more than ever.
Is it because of her? What even are these feelings of mine? Is it appropriate to attribute them to a real person? I would stare and stare at her in that garden, as if admiring a beautiful landscape portrait in a museum. When we talked those two times, I was so nervous I could barely keep it together. I don’t view myself as someone who’s lacking in confidence, or has low self-esteem, but her presence is almost choking. And it’s my own fault. The more I pedestalize her, the worse those interactions will get.
I’ve already confirmed it myself, in that garden. Hana is as real as those flowers. As real as the rain. Flesh, blood, bone. Breathing, beating, human. She gets sick, uses the bathroom, and makes mistakes.
“Maybe I’ve been thinking about this wrong…” I say aloud, albeit accidentally. I think it’s okay to be curious about who she is. I have to leave this mindset behind if I want to keep talking to her. I don’t really have much of a reason though, except for that I just want to. Life is funny, in that way. Sometimes we just want to do something, and we don’t really have to explain why. Rather comforting.
On a whim, I decided to visit the garden today before I made the trek home. Walking to the side gate this time, I opened it and once again found myself at the whim of these flowers. I was half expecting people to be here, seeing as it is after-school, but there was no one to be found. It was rather ethereal. The scene was similar to yesterday’s, but it possessed much more weight. Perhaps it was because I was alone. I could be off my guard, in this beautiful place.
I walked by the hydrangea bushes, and touched their leaves. They can talk, huh? I move my hand gently to the flower and feel the petals. They are silky and soft, and a bit warm. Not too far off from human skin. The flower was a bright, light purple. It swayed with each touch, despite my light movements. As a joke, I put my ear up to the flower, as if to listen to what it was trying to tell me. A gust of wind blows through, and the flower hits my head a few times. Maybe it doesn’t like me too much? Upon realizing this, I burst into laughter.
“Silly little flowers, maybe we’re equals after all?”
Before my exit, I wave and bow courteously for the flowers and open the garden gate. Much to my surprise, a few gardening club members stood on the other side of the opening. This moment was admittedly, rather embarrassing. For one, I really hope they didn’t hear me talking to those flowers. For two, am I allowed back here? I didn’t ever really think about that.
I gaze at each of their startled faces, and yet, Hana’s isn’t there. I am a bit disappointed, I let out a little sigh.
“W-what brings you to the garden?” One of the members perks up, a small boy who appears to be a bit nervous about the encounter. The other two girls look toward him and then back at me, expectant of an answer.
“I hope I wasn’t breaking any rules by being in there, I was just ta- …loo-king at the flowers? Is that okay?” I didn’t mean to sound so apologetic, but it came out rather emotional anyway.
“No, that won’t be an issue. As long as all flowers are accounted for.” One of the two girls speaks, and gives a bit of a stern answer. She still seems suspicious about my presence.
“Mei… No need to be so harsh, he doesn’t seem so bad after all.” The last girl speaks softly to the more brusque one, and gives a warm smile. I don’t know how to explain it, but I’m thanking her to high heaven right now. Who knows what would be in store for me had she not been here. My ears probably would’ve fallen off.
“S-sorry again, I wasn't trying to cause any trouble.” I make my way past the exit, and attempt to pass by the three of them. I’m successful, but I stop and turn around hesitantly.
“I love the garden, please don’t stop talking with those flowers.”
I realize that’s not exactly what I wanted to say, and in my intense embarrassment I turn around and continue home. From behind me, I could hear the group laughing a bit. I could’ve swore I heard her name too…
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'''Date: 2018/07/29'''
'''A slower day than usual. Today was the last day of classes, meaning that we don’t come back until September. The festival will be starting tomorrow, as well. The week after, I FINALLY get to go on the sunflower trip. I am unbelievably excited for it.'''
'''I don’t have much else to say. Thanks, I guess?'''
'''Sincerely (again),'''
'''Hana'''
Today, we had the festival. I had inevitably let my parents know that instead of going with them, I would be going with Jiro. They didn’t seem disturbed by that fact, which was nice. Maybe even a little happy that they got to have some alone time. I guess this would be a win-win situation?
I had called Jiro a little while ago to confirm where we would meet before making the commute. It would be about a ten minute walk. Thank the heavens the sun is setting, or I don’t think I would’ve made it to the 5 minute mark. I was thinking of coming in my kimono, but it was much too hot to wear something like that. Decidedly, I just went with my plain clothes.
I waited a few more hours for 5:50 to come around before leaving my house. The festival started at 6:30, but we wanted to look around a bit before it began. I made the trek outside of my front door and walked to the side of the road. Despite the sun going down, it was still unbearably hot. I raised my hand to cover my eyes while walking in the sun’s gaze.
A few neighbors appeared to be preparing themselves for the festival as well. We lived in a rather small town, so most of the people around here prepared themselves for things like these. [[User:IvoctA|IvoctA]] ([[User talk:IvoctA|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/IvoctA|contribs]]) 19:39, 16 September 2023 (UTC)
== Hello! Wikijournal chat? ==
Happy new year :) Long time.
I just saw you've been working with WikiJournal; how are you finding this format and process? What are the bottlenecks at the moment, what else might be possible? <span style="padding:0 2px 0 2px;background-color:white;color:#bbb;">–[[User:Sj|SJ]][[User Talk:Sj|<span style="color:#f90;">+</span>]]</span> 14:35, 25 January 2024 (UTC)
:Hey Sj, good morning.
:My submission for WJ has been quite slow due to IRL commitments, but I've had good experiences so far. One of the WJ reviewers was nice enough to give me and my buddy solid advice on how to improve our journal for submission, so I was pleased with that. The discussion at [[Talk:WikiJournal_User_Group#Current_status_of_WikiJournals]] is concerning, though, and I hope WJ will continue to be in operation. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 15:21, 25 January 2024 (UTC)
== ''The Signpost'': 31 January 2024 ==
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== Invitation to discuss page deletion policy ==
A discussion that might interest you has been started at [[Wikiversity:Requests_for_Deletion#Wikiversity:Deletion_Convention_2024]]. -- [[User:Guy vandegrift|Guy vandegrift]] ([[User talk:Guy vandegrift|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Guy vandegrift|contribs]]) 17:49, 15 February 2024 (UTC)
:{{ping|Guy vandegrift}} Hello Guy vandegrift, I appreciate you thinking about me and reaching out to me for my thoughts. I'm afraid I will have to echo Dave's response and abstain from formulating any suggestions, since I do not have the needed time to review the discussion. Best of luck. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 14:35, 17 February 2024 (UTC)
== Movie reviews ==
'''[[Paris, Texas]]''' is under a prod and when I found '''[[Book Reviews]]''' I thought of copying and creating a page called [[Movie reviews]]. I obviously don't need your permission (cc-by!), but was wondering what you thought of that idea. Any chance of attracting new movie reviews? ... Another idea would be to create a subspace under [[Essay]], with a subpage that links to [[Book reviews]]. [[User:Guy vandegrift|Guy vandegrift]] ([[User talk:Guy vandegrift|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Guy vandegrift|contribs]]) 09:54, 1 March 2024 (UTC)--Afterthought: See '''[[Essay/Collection]]'''-[[User:Guy vandegrift|Guy vandegrift]] ([[User talk:Guy vandegrift|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Guy vandegrift|contribs]]) 10:09, 1 March 2024 (UTC)
:Movie reviews would be interesting. It can be educational, but also promotional. Personally, I don't have interest in producing movie reviews - but setting it up for future users in the hopes it is developed in accordance with our guidelines does not sound like a bad idea. I think putting [[Book Reviews]] under an "Essay" subspace would be redundant (and provide exceptionally long page titles), and that may be the same for Movie reviews. I would lean towards making it a stand alone project and, if issues arise, we can address them when we cross that bridge. Thanks. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 00:15, 2 March 2024 (UTC)
::I am astonished by the success of [[Book Reviews]], but noticed one odd features: Certain titles are not shown on the front page. One example is [[Book_Reviews/A_Hero_of_Our_Time|A Hero for Our Time]]. I traced the problem to the dynamicpagelist and its count variable. I think I can fix that feature. Do you want me to?--[[User:Guy vandegrift|Guy vandegrift]] ([[User talk:Guy vandegrift|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Guy vandegrift|contribs]]) 11:23, 2 March 2024 (UTC)
:::Of course, go for it! Thank you in advance. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 22:30, 2 March 2024 (UTC)
== ''The Signpost'': 4 September 2024 ==
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== ''The Signpost'': 26 September 2024 ==
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* In the media: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2024-09-26/In the media|Indian courts order Wikipedia to take down name of crime victim, and give up names of editors]]
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== ''The Signpost'': 19 October 2024 ==
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== ''The Signpost'': 6 November 2024 ==
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== ''The Signpost'': 18 November 2024 ==
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== Page called Food Tests ==
Hello there,
I am contributing to the Food Tests page and I would like to inform you that we are currently expanding the page, and we are constantly adding new features to it. <s>Please do not nominate the page for deletion any more throughout its improvement.</s> This was just a kind notice.
[[Food Tests]]
Kind regards,
Rock
[[User:RockTransport|RockTransport]] ([[User talk:RockTransport|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/RockTransport|contribs]]) 20:40, 4 December 2024 (UTC)
:{{ping|RockTransport}} Hey Rock, no need to worry. You have around 3 months or so to improve the content of the page, and I'm sure with your intentions stated here you'll be able to provide content to the page that would suffice [[Wikiversity:What is Wikiversity?|our objectives]] by the 'deadline'. Thank you for your contributions and [[Template:Welcome|welcome to Wikiversity]] (make sure to check this page out for some useful tips for beginners)! —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 23:06, 4 December 2024 (UTC)
== ''The Signpost'': 24 December 2024 ==
<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr" style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">[[File:WikipediaSignpostIcon.svg|40px|right]] ''News, reports and features from the English Wikipedia's newspaper''</div>
<div style="column-count:2;">
* News and notes: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2024-12-24/News and notes|Responsibilities and liabilities as a "Very Large Online Platform"]]
* Op-ed: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2024-12-24/Op-ed|Beeblebrox on Wikipediocracy, the Committee, and everything]]
* Opinion: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2024-12-24/Opinion|Graham87 on being the first-ever administrator recall subject]]
* In the media: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2024-12-24/In the media|Delhi High Court considers ''Caravan'' and ''Ken'' for evaluating the ANI vs. WMF case]]
* From the archives: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2024-12-24/From the archives|Where to draw the line in reporting?]]
* Recent research: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2024-12-24/Recent research|"Wikipedia editors are quite prosocial", but those motivated by "social image" may put quantity over quality]]
* Humour: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2024-12-24/Humour|Backlash over Santa Claus' Wikipedia article intensifies]]
* Gallery: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2024-12-24/Gallery|A feast of holidays and carols]]
* Traffic report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2024-12-24/Traffic report|Was a long and dark December]]
</div>
<div style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">'''[[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost|Read this Signpost in full]]''' · [[w:en:Wikipedia:Signpost/Single|Single-page]] · [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Signpost|Unsubscribe]] · [[m:Global message delivery|Global message delivery]] 00:04, 25 December 2024 (UTC)
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== Wikiversity Newsletter ==
Hello Atcovi,
Would you mind if I included your course, that was featured on Main Page/News into the Wikiversity Newsletter, and giving a brief overview about it?
Regards,
Rock [[User:RockTransport|''Rock Transport'']] 😊 ([[User_talk:RockTransport|Talk page]]) 16:25, 6 January 2025 (UTC)
:{{ping|RockTransport}} That's fine. Take note that it isn't a course, it's just an essay. Thanks, —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 17:28, 6 January 2025 (UTC)
::Thanks, but on second thought, i might not add it due to the sensitive content mentioned, however, is promotion of Wikiversity's content allowed as part of the newsletter? [[User:RockTransport|''Rock Transport'']] 😊 ([[User_talk:RockTransport|Talk page]]) 18:28, 6 January 2025 (UTC)
:::Well, promotion in terms of a basic description of the resource in question should be fine. I would assume it would be redundant to have them written out like an "advertisement", but a basic description of the resource seems to be an educational benefit to the community. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 14:39, 7 January 2025 (UTC)
::::Thanks for your reply. - [[User:RockTransport|''Rock Transport'']] 😊 ([[User_talk:RockTransport|Talk page]]) 17:32, 8 January 2025 (UTC)
:::::And also, if you wanted to add your own [[User:RockTransport/Wikiversity Newsletter|description]] on the subject, you may do so. [[User:RockTransport|''Rock Transport'']] 😊 ([[User_talk:RockTransport|Talk page]]) 17:47, 8 January 2025 (UTC)
== Linking your YouTube account ==
Hello Atcovi,
On Wikiversity, is it allowed (or accepted) to link your personal YouTube account?
Kind regards,
Rock [[User:RockTransport|''Rock Transport'']] 😊 ([[User_talk:RockTransport|Talk page]]) 19:12, 9 January 2025 (UTC)
:Hi RockTransport! Depends, though I'd personally discourage. Did you have a specific instance in mind? —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 22:32, 9 January 2025 (UTC)
::Yes, I was thinking of linking my YouTube account, so that's why I was wondering. [[User:RockTransport|''Rock Transport'']] 😊 ([[User_talk:RockTransport|Talk page]]) 08:39, 10 January 2025 (UTC)
:::If it is on your userpage, I don't see a problem with it, but if it is linked on the resources you're creating in the mainspace, it opens doors to potential solicitation, so I'd advise against the latter. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 15:40, 10 January 2025 (UTC)
::::Thanks. I was planning on doing it on my userpage. [[User:RockTransport|''Rock Transport'']] 😊 ([[User_talk:RockTransport|Talk page]]) 16:54, 10 January 2025 (UTC)
:::::No problem with that AFAIK. Thank you for checking! —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 19:05, 10 January 2025 (UTC)
== ''The Signpost'': 15 January 2025 ==
<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr" style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">[[File:WikipediaSignpostIcon.svg|40px|right]] ''News, reports and features from the English Wikipedia's newspaper''</div>
<div style="column-count:2;">
* From the editors: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-01-15/From the editors|Looking back, looking forward]]
* Traffic report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-01-15/Traffic report|The most viewed articles of 2024]]
* In the media: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-01-15/In the media|Will you be targeted?]]
* Technology report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-01-15/Technology report|New Calculator template brings interactivity at last]]
* Essay: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-01-15/Essay|Meet the Canadian who holds the longest editing streak on Wikipedia]]
* Opinion: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-01-15/Opinion|Reflections one score hence]]
* News and notes: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-01-15/News and notes|It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me... and I'm feeling free]]
* Serendipity: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-01-15/Serendipity|What we've left behind, and where we want to go next]]
* Op-ed: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-01-15/Op-ed|Elon Musk and the right on Wikipedia]]
* In focus: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-01-15/In focus|Twenty years of The Signpost: What did it take?]]
* Arbitration report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-01-15/Arbitration report|Analyzing commonalities of some contentious topics]]
* Humour: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-01-15/Humour|How to make friends on Wikipedia]]
</div>
<div style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">'''[[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost|Read this Signpost in full]]''' · [[w:en:Wikipedia:Signpost/Single|Single-page]] · [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Signpost|Unsubscribe]] · [[m:Global message delivery|Global message delivery]] 07:58, 15 January 2025 (UTC)
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== Wikiversity Newsletter - Feedback ==
Hello Atcovi,
Could you give some feedback on the [[User:RockTransport/Wikiversity Newsletter|Wikiversity Newsletter]] if you want to/ if it's possible. This is because I plan on publishing it by the end of the month, and so I could expand the newsletter based on the feedback given.
Kind regards,
[[User:RockTransport|''Rock Transport'']] 😊 ([[User_talk:RockTransport|Talk page]]) 13:47, 18 January 2025 (UTC)
:Hi Rock Transport, I've made a few modifications. Feel free to tweak them if you desire. Thanks! —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 16:09, 18 January 2025 (UTC)
::Thanks for helping @[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]], have a great day! [[User:RockTransport|''Rock Transport'']] 😊 ([[User_talk:RockTransport|Talk page]]) 17:13, 18 January 2025 (UTC)
== Signatures - citation? ==
Hello {{PAGENAME}},
On Wikiversity, for signatures, do we give a citation if we used inspiration from Wikipedia's Signatures page? I did it just to be safe, but I want to make sure.
[[User:RailwayEnthusiast2025|<span style="color:green;">'''''RailwayEnthusiast2025'''''</span>]] ([[User talk:RailwayEnthusiast2025|talk page]]|[[Special:Contributions/RailwayEnthusiast2025|contribs]]) 16:24, 24 January 2025 (UTC)
:Good afternoon RailwayEnthusiast2025. No, not at all. You can if you want, but there is no obligation to do so. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 17:01, 24 January 2025 (UTC)
::Thanks for your reply. [[User:RailwayEnthusiast2025|<span style="color:green;">'''''RailwayEnthusiast2025'''''</span>]] ([[User talk:RailwayEnthusiast2025|talk page]]-[[Special:Contributions/RailwayEnthusiast2025|contribs]]) 17:03, 24 January 2025 (UTC)
== ''The Signpost'': 22 March 2025 ==
<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr" style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">[[File:WikipediaSignpostIcon.svg|40px|right]] ''News, reports and features from the English Wikipedia's newspaper''</div>
<div style="column-count:2;">
* From the editor: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-03-22/From the editor|''Hanami'']]
* News and notes: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-03-22/News and notes|Deeper look at takedowns targeting Wikipedia]]
* In the media: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-03-22/In the media|The good, the bad, and the unusual]]
* Recent research: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-03-22/Recent research|Explaining the disappointing history of Flagged Revisions; and what's the impact of ChatGPT on Wikipedia so far?]]
* Traffic report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-03-22/Traffic report|All the world's a stage, we are merely players...]]
* Gallery: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-03-22/Gallery|WikiPortraits rule!]]
* Essay: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-03-22/Essay|Unusual biographical images]]
* Obituary: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-03-22/Obituary|Rest in peace]]
</div>
<div style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">'''[[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost|Read this Signpost in full]]''' · [[w:en:Wikipedia:Signpost/Single|Single-page]] · [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Signpost|Unsubscribe]] · [[m:Global message delivery|Global message delivery]] 03:12, 22 March 2025 (UTC)
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== ''The Signpost'': 9 April 2025 ==
<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr" style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">[[File:WikipediaSignpostIcon.svg|40px|right]] ''News, reports and features from the English Wikipedia's newspaper''</div>
<div style="column-count:2;">
* Special report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-04-09/Special report|Wikipedian and physician Ziyad al-Sufiani reportedly released from Saudi prison]]
* In focus: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-04-09/In focus|WMF to explore "common standards" for NPOV policies; implications for project autonomy remain unclear]]
* In the media: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-04-09/In the media|Indian judges demand removal of content critical of Asian News International]]
* News and notes: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-04-09/News and notes|35,000 user accounts compromised, locked in attempted credential-stuffing attack]]
* Op-ed: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-04-09/Op-ed|How crawlers impact the operations of the Wikimedia projects]]
* Opinion: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-04-09/Opinion|Crawlers, hogs and gorillas]]
* Debriefing: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-04-09/Debriefing|Giraffer's RfA debriefing]]
* Obituary: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-04-09/Obituary|RHaworth, TomCat4680 and PawełMM]]
* Traffic report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-04-09/Traffic report|Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho, off to report we go...]]
* News from Diff: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-04-09/News from Diff|Strengthening Wikipedia’s neutral point of view]]
* Comix: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-04-09/Comix|Thirteen]]
</div>
<div style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">'''[[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost|Read this Signpost in full]]''' · [[w:en:Wikipedia:Signpost/Single|Single-page]] · [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Signpost|Unsubscribe]] · [[m:Global message delivery|Global message delivery]] 18:26, 9 April 2025 (UTC)
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== Potential suicide risk - need admin assistance ==
Hello,
I am writing to report a potentially concerning post on Wikiversity « Should suicide be legal? »
The user appears at the very end of the chat
Thank you very much for your help. [[User:Cl51RLM2013|Cl51RLM2013]] ([[User talk:Cl51RLM2013|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Cl51RLM2013|contribs]]) 18:37, 12 June 2025 (UTC)
:@[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]]Just to add more details to my previous message:
:I am writing to report a potentially concerning post on Wikiversity in the discussion under
:''"Should suicide be legal?"''
:.
:At the very end of the conversation, a user seems to express possible suicidal thoughts or emotional distress.
:As I am not qualified to handle this situation, I wanted to notify an administrator so that someone experienced can review the message and take appropriate action if necessary.
:Thank you very much for your help. [[User:Cl51RLM2013|Cl51RLM2013]] ([[User talk:Cl51RLM2013|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Cl51RLM2013|contribs]]) 18:43, 12 June 2025 (UTC)
::{{ping|Cl51RLM2013}} Hello. Thank you for your report. It's unfortunate that this edit went by without anyone taking notice, but I've done my part and I've notified the Wikimedia Foundation concerning this edit. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 19:35, 12 June 2025 (UTC)
:::@[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]]:Thank you for your help. [[User:Cl51RLM2013|Cl51RLM2013]] ([[User talk:Cl51RLM2013|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Cl51RLM2013|contribs]]) 20:29, 12 June 2025 (UTC)
== ''The Signpost'': 24 June 2025 ==
<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr" style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">[[File:WikipediaSignpostIcon.svg|40px|right]] ''News, reports and features from the English Wikipedia's newspaper''</div>
<div style="column-count:2;">
* News and notes: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-06-24/News and notes|Happy 7 millionth!]]
* In the media: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-06-24/In the media|Playing professor pong with prosecutorial discretion]]
* Disinformation report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-06-24/Disinformation report|Pardon me, Mr. President, have you seen my socks?]]
* Recent research: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-06-24/Recent research|Wikipedia's political bias; "Ethical" LLMs accede to copyright owners' demands but ignore those of Wikipedians]]
* Traffic report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-06-24/Traffic report|All Sinners, a future, all Saints, a past]]
* News from Diff: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-06-24/News from Diff|Call for candidates is now open: Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees]]
* Opinion: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-06-24/Opinion|Russian Wiki-fork flails, failing readers and editors]]
* Debriefing: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-06-24/Debriefing|EggRoll97's RfA<sup>2</sup> debriefing]]
* Community view: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-06-24/Community view|A Deep Dive Into Wikimedia (part 3)]]
* Comix: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-06-24/Comix|Hamburgers]]
</div>
<div style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">'''[[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost|Read this Signpost in full]]''' · [[w:en:Wikipedia:Signpost/Single|Single-page]] · [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Signpost|Unsubscribe]] · [[m:Global message delivery|Global message delivery]] 02:32, 24 June 2025 (UTC)
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== ''The Signpost'': 18 July 2025 ==
<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr" style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">[[File:WikipediaSignpostIcon.svg|40px|right]] ''News, reports and features from the English Wikipedia's newspaper''</div>
<div style="column-count:2;">
* News and notes: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-07-18/News and notes|Is no WikiNews good WikiNews? — Election season returns!]]
* In the media: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-07-18/In the media|How bad (or good) is Wikipedia?]]
* WikiProject report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-07-18/WikiProject report|WikiProject Medicine reaches milestone of zero unreferenced articles]]
* In focus: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-07-18/In focus|Wikimania 2025: Connecting Wikimedians across the world for 20 years]]
* Recent research: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-07-18/Recent research|Knowledge manipulation on Russia's Wikipedia fork; Marxist critique of Wikidata license; call to analyze power relations of Wikipedia]]
* News from the WMF: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-07-18/News from the WMF|Form 990 released for the Wikimedia Foundation’s fiscal year 2023-2024]]
* Discussion report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-07-18/Discussion report|Six thousand noticeboard discussions in 2025 electrically winnowed down to a hundred]]
* Comix: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-07-18/Comix|Divorce]]
* Opinion: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-07-18/Opinion|Women are somewhat under-represented on the English-language Wikipedia, and other observations from analysis]]
* Community view: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-07-18/Community view|A Deep Dive Into Wikimedia (part 4): The Future Of Wikimedia and Conclusion]]
* Obituary: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-07-18/Obituary|Pvmoutside, Atomicjohn, Rdmoore6, Jaknouse, Morven, Martin of Sheffield, MarnetteD, Herewhy, BabelStone]]
* Traffic report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-07-18/Traffic report|God only knows]]
* Humour: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-07-18/Humour|New forum created for people who don't care about Wikipedia]]
</div>
<div style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">'''[[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost|Read this Signpost in full]]''' · [[w:en:Wikipedia:Signpost/Single|Single-page]] · [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Signpost|Unsubscribe]] · [[m:Global message delivery|Global message delivery]] 07:53, 18 July 2025 (UTC)
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== ''The Signpost'': 9 August 2025 ==
<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr" style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">[[File:WikipediaSignpostIcon.svg|40px|right]] ''News, reports and features from the English Wikipedia's newspaper''</div>
<div style="column-count:2;">
* News and notes: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-08-09/News and notes|Court order snips out part of Wikipedia article, editors debate whether to frame shreds or pulp them]]
* Discussion report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-08-09/Discussion report|News from ANI, AN, RSN, BLPN, ELN, FTN, and NPOVN]]
* Disinformation report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-08-09/Disinformation report|The article in the most languages]]
* Community view: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-08-09/Community view|News from the Villages Pump]]
* In the media: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-08-09/In the media|Disgrace, dive bars, deceased despots, and diverse dispatches]]
* Crossword: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-08-09/Crossword|Accidental typography]]
* Comix: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-08-09/Comix|best-laid schemes o' wikis an' men]]
* Traffic report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-08-09/Traffic report|I'm not the antichrist or the Superman]]
</div>
<div style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">'''[[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost|Read this Signpost in full]]''' · [[w:en:Wikipedia:Signpost/Single|Single-page]] · [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Signpost|Unsubscribe]] · [[m:Global message delivery|Global message delivery]] 02:28, 9 August 2025 (UTC)
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== Minecraft page on Wikiversity ==
Hello Atcovi,
Do you like playing Minecraft? Because I see that you created the Minecraft Wikiversity page, and I really liked it. I am trying to add some more progress to it to keep it up to date in later versions.
Thanks,
RailwayEnthusiast2025 —[[User:RailwayEnthusiast2025|RailwayEnthusiast2025]] ([[User talk:RailwayEnthusiast2025|Talk page]] - [[Special:Contributions|Contributions]]) 06:22, 2 September 2025 (UTC)
:{{ping|RailwayEnthusiast2025}} Hey RailwayEnthusiast2025, and welcome back to Wikiversity. Yes, I'm a big fan of the game. I don't have time to contribute to the [[Minecraft]] page due to many IRL obligations but I would appreciate your efforts to improve the page! —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 12:12, 2 September 2025 (UTC)
== What mistakes did you make on Wikiversity in your early days? ==
Greetings Atcovi,
What mistakes did you make on Wikiversity? I have a great deal of enthusiasm on this website, just like you did in your early days. What mistakes did you make during those times, so I can avoid making the same mistakes?
Kind regards,
—[[User:RailwayEnthusiast2025|RailwayEnthusiast2025]] ([[User talk:RailwayEnthusiast2025|Talk page]] - [[Special:Contributions|Contributions]]) 07:11, 5 September 2025 (UTC)
:Interesting question. Honestly I joined Wikiversity as a 7 year old, so I don't think I could bring about any applicable advice from those days, but I would say focus more on quality than quantity. I lacked the ability to appreciate putting quality work over putting a lot of work, but I guess this mishap in judgement is understandable in someone who is very young. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 12:04, 5 September 2025 (UTC)
== Curator (advice) ==
Hello Atcovi,
Thanks for your previous reply. I was also wondering as a curator yourself, and you having a great deal of experience on Wikiversity, what was your journey in becoming a curator? Kind regards, —[[User:RailwayEnthusiast2025|RailwayEnthusiast2025]] ([[User talk:RailwayEnthusiast2025|Talk page]] - [[Special:Contributions|Contributions]]) 17:18, 5 September 2025 (UTC)
== Page move ==
FYI: [[User:Atcovi/Cricket/Players]]. I realize you are a custodian/admin, and if you find my move in error (seems unlikely?), you will move the page back to the mainspace. You can also delete the page if you prefer. --[[User:Dan Polansky|Dan Polansky]] ([[User talk:Dan Polansky|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Dan Polansky|contribs]]) 07:41, 7 September 2025 (UTC)
:No issues, thank you for your help! —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 14:38, 7 September 2025 (UTC)
== ''The Signpost'': 9 September 2025 ==
<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr" style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">[[File:WikipediaSignpostIcon.svg|40px|right]] ''News, reports and features from the English Wikipedia's newspaper''</div>
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* News and notes: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-09-09/News and notes|Wikimedia Foundation loses a round in court]]
* In the media: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-09-09/In the media|Congress probes, mayor whitewashed, AI stinks]]
* Disinformation report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-09-09/Disinformation report|A guide for Congress]]
* Recent research: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-09-09/Recent research|Minority-language Wikipedias, and Wikidata for botanists]]
* Technology report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-09-09/Technology report|A new way to read Wikisource]]
* Traffic report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-09-09/Traffic report|Check out some new ''Weapons'', weapon of choice]]
* Essay: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-09-09/Essay|The one question]]
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<div style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">'''[[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost|Read this Signpost in full]]''' · [[w:en:Wikipedia:Signpost/Single|Single-page]] · [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Signpost|Unsubscribe]] · [[m:Global message delivery|Global message delivery]] 01:09, 9 September 2025 (UTC)
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== A barnstar for you! ==
{| style="border: 1px solid gray; background-color: #ffffff;"
|rowspan="2" valign="middle" | [[File:WikiDefender Barnstar.png|100px]]
|rowspan="2" |
|style="font-size: x-large; padding: 0; vertical-align: middle; height: 1.1em;" | '''The defender of the wiki barnstar'''
|-
|style="vertical-align: middle; border-top: 1px solid gray;" | Thanks for helping Wikiversity defend against spammers and sockpuppets. You really help Wikiversity quite a lot. Also, thanks for helping me a bit on Wikiversity as well. —[[User:RailwayEnthusiast2025|<span style="font-family:Verdana; color:#008000; text-shadow:gray 0.2em 0.2em 0.4em;">RailwayEnthusiast2025</span>]] <sup>[[User talk:RailwayEnthusiast2025|<span style="color:#59a53f">''talk with me!''</span>]]</sup> 19:43, 9 September 2025 (UTC)
|}
== Ask a question. ==
Bro, Do you've English Wikipedia access? [[User:Anikmolla786|Anikmolla786]] ([[User talk:Anikmolla786|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Anikmolla786|contribs]]) 12:34, 12 September 2025 (UTC)
:In terms of my ability to edit, yes I do. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 12:36, 12 September 2025 (UTC)
::Do you have ability to block unblock users there? [[User:Anikmolla786|Anikmolla786]] ([[User talk:Anikmolla786|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Anikmolla786|contribs]]) 12:58, 12 September 2025 (UTC)
:::No. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 13:28, 12 September 2025 (UTC)
== Your blog ==
Trying to clean up the blog category structure a little, I run into your blog page, which now seems blank: [[User:Atcovi/Blog]], and it is the only item in [[:Category:User:Atcovi/Blogs]]. It would be ideal if you either restore the blanked page, or if you delete it together with the category. What do you think? --[[User:Dan Polansky|Dan Polansky]] ([[User talk:Dan Polansky|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Dan Polansky|contribs]]) 07:39, 25 September 2025 (UTC)
:I've deleted them all. Thanks for bringing this to my attention! —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 11:59, 25 September 2025 (UTC)
== ''The Signpost'': 2 October 2025 ==
<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr" style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">[[File:WikipediaSignpostIcon.svg|40px|right]] ''News, reports and features from the English Wikipedia's newspaper''</div>
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* News and notes: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-10-02/News and notes|Larry Sanger returns with "Nine Theses on Wikipedia"; WMF publishes transparency report]]
* In the media: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-10-02/In the media|Extraordinary eruption of "EVIL" explained]]
* Disinformation report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-10-02/Disinformation report|Emails from a paid editing client]]
* Discussion report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-10-02/Discussion report|Sourcing, conduct, policy and LLMs: another 1,339 threads analyzed]]
* Community view: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-10-02/Community view|The pressing questions of the modern WWW, as seen from the Village Pump]]
* Recent research: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-10-02/Recent research|Is Wikipedia a merchant of (non-)doubt for glyphosate?; eight projects awarded Wikimedia Research Fund grants]]
* Opinion: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-10-02/Opinion|Some disputes aren't worth it]]
* Obituary: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-10-02/Obituary|Michael Q. Schmidt]]
* Traffic report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-10-02/Traffic report|Death, hear me call your name]]
* Comix: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-10-02/Comix|A grand spectacle]]
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== ''The Signpost'': 20 October 2025 ==
<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr" style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">[[File:WikipediaSignpostIcon.svg|40px|right]] ''News, reports and features from the English Wikipedia's newspaper''</div>
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* News and notes: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-10-20/News and notes|Board shuffles, LLM blocks increase, IPs are going away]]
* Special report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-10-20/Special report|The election that isn't]]
* Interview: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-10-20/Interview|The BoT bump]]
* In the media: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-10-20/In the media|An incident at WikiConference North America; WMF reports AI-related traffic drop and explains Wikipedia to US conservatives]]
* Traffic report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-10-20/Traffic report|One click after another]]
* Humour: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-10-20/Humour|Wikipedia pay rates]]
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== Newcomer, advice and questions. ==
Hey there, I've just recently discovered Wikiversity and have been really inspired by a lot of the things I've seen here. Though I don't fully understand how to make the best use of the wiki. I hope to learn from some of the electrical power distribution courses. More importantly though I am hoping to create a page for myself and other Electrical Apprentices as a resource for their schooling, do you know how I may begin to go about it? I've started a page in the sandbox section but don't fully understand how to make it an actual page. [[User:Colby VdW|Colby VdW]] ([[User talk:Colby VdW|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Colby VdW|contribs]]) 18:57, 2 November 2025 (UTC)
:{{ping|Colby VdW}} Hey welcome to Wikiversity! I think developing your article in your [[User:Colby VdW/sandbox|sandbox]] is perfect and I am more than happy to watch you develop your article in there! Here are some Wikiversity articles that could help you out:
:* [[Wikiversity:Welcome]]
:The other content on the [[Template:About Wikiversity|template]], like: Tours · Teachers · What is it? · What is it not? · FAQs · Culture · Presentations · Adding content · Wikiversitans, are all really good.
:Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any more questions!
:—[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 20:37, 2 November 2025 (UTC)
== ''The Signpost'': 10 November 2025 ==
<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr" style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">[[File:WikipediaSignpostIcon.svg|40px|right]] ''News, reports and features from the English Wikipedia's newspaper''</div>
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* News and notes: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-11-10/News and notes|Temporary accounts go live and WMF board member self-suspends]]
* Community view: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-11-10/Community view|Six Wikipedians' thoughts on Grokipedia, and the humanity of it all]]
* Wikicup report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-11-10/Wikicup report|BeanieFan11, WikiCup victor of 2025, covers the results]]
* In the media: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-11-10/In the media|Jimbo's book, an argument about genocide, and a train of shame]]
* Recent research: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-11-10/Recent research|Taking stock of the 2024–2025 research grants]]
* Opinion: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-11-10/Opinion|With Grokipedia, top-down control of knowledge is new again]]
* Obituary: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-11-10/Obituary|Struway]]
* Traffic report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-11-10/Traffic report|The documentaried, the disowned, the deceased, Diwali and the Dodgers]]
* Comix: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-11-10/Comix|Head of steam]]
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<div style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">'''[[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost|Read this Signpost in full]]''' · [[w:en:Wikipedia:Signpost/Single|Single-page]] · [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Signpost|Unsubscribe]] · [[m:Global message delivery|Global message delivery]] 12:57, 10 November 2025 (UTC)
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== Deletion vs. moving to user space ==
I noticed you deleted some pages as having no educational objectives. I would propose to move them to user space of the creator instead. This was passionately favored by Guy vandegrift and has some advantages, including improved auditability. The deletion does not save any database space anyway and user space is not indexed. --[[User:Dan Polansky|Dan Polansky]] ([[User talk:Dan Polansky|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Dan Polansky|contribs]]) 17:56, 14 November 2025 (UTC)
:Thanks for the suggestion Dan. Do you have the link for "this was passionately favored by Guy vandegrift" so I may review? I may start doing this with simpler pages, but project pages that have several subpages may need to be deleted if they've been abandoned for 1+ year.
:And to provide context: I'm conducting a thorough cleanup of the wiki per several complaints regarding Wikiversity's content. I don't want to see this project get shutdown so I'm doing my best efforts to clean this wiki as much as I can. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. Thanks. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 17:59, 14 November 2025 (UTC)
:: Subpages are easy to move in one action: the checkbox to move subpages as well is enabled by default. It is really convenient.
:: I will have a look to find more about the support by Guy. In the meantime, I collected some tradition of page moves here: [[User:Dan Polansky/About Wikiversity#Moving pages to userspace]]; there is a table with moves by various editors.
:: As for the complaints you refer to, are they online? --[[User:Dan Polansky|Dan Polansky]] ([[User talk:Dan Polansky|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Dan Polansky|contribs]]) 18:02, 14 November 2025 (UTC)
:: I do not quickly have Guy (I will keep looking), but I have Dave:
:: The position of Dave Braunschweig from [[Wikiversity:Requests_for_Deletion/Archives/18]]:
::* "We have long agreed that part of the Wikiversity:Mission (creation and use of free learning materials and activities) includes the learning opportunity for the creator, irrespective of any learning value for others. From my perspective, there is no question that Landmark Education was a learning opportunity for Abd, just as Radiation Astronomy was a learning opportunity for Marshallsumter. If the community does not see value for others in these resources, they can be moved to user space. They should not be deleted, as they are still supporting the Wikiversity mission, just as thousands of other User: space resources do. (The many engineering homework projects are examples.)"
:: --[[User:Dan Polansky|Dan Polansky]] ([[User talk:Dan Polansky|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Dan Polansky|contribs]]) 18:04, 14 November 2025 (UTC)
:::Thanks, I've restored a few of the pages I deleted and moved them under userspace. I agree with Dave on the matter. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 18:08, 14 November 2025 (UTC)
:::: Thank you, great! --[[User:Dan Polansky|Dan Polansky]] ([[User talk:Dan Polansky|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Dan Polansky|contribs]]) 18:16, 14 November 2025 (UTC)
:::: Hint: don't forget to unclick the checkbox for leaving a redirect behind, to make sure no redirect is left behind. Otherwise, one has to delete the redirect later. --[[User:Dan Polansky|Dan Polansky]] ([[User talk:Dan Polansky|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Dan Polansky|contribs]]) 18:25, 14 November 2025 (UTC)
== Modular math ==
I saw you tag [[Mathematics for Applied Sciences (Osnabrück 2023-2024)/Part I/Enumeration of information]]. That tagging is perhaps in order but I am not sure. This is part of modular math, which can be sometimes confusing. Better contact the author, I think. We run into confusion concerning his modular math before. --[[User:Dan Polansky|Dan Polansky]] ([[User talk:Dan Polansky|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Dan Polansky|contribs]]) 18:15, 14 November 2025 (UTC)
:Will leave a message on the talk page. Thank you for QC'ing my deletions/tagging I do appreciate it. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 18:16, 14 November 2025 (UTC)
== [[We Also See Illusion]] ==
Please let me know the reason why the titled should be deleted. Thanks. [[User:KYPark|KYPark]] [[User talk:KYPark|[T]]] 00:37, 15 November 2025 (UTC)
:Hi {{ping|KYPark}} Is the page that you wanted not available at [[We Also See Some Illusion]]? —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 00:39, 15 November 2025 (UTC)
::I've got [[We Also See Some Illusion]]. I dropped "Some." This was my silly mistake. Thank you for your help. [[User:KYPark|KYPark]] [[User talk:KYPark|[T]]] 00:52, 15 November 2025 (UTC)
== Query ==
Can you clarify whether you played any role in Mu301's removing my curator tools and opening [[Wikiversity:Community Review/Dan Polansky]]? --[[User:Dan Polansky|Dan Polansky]] ([[User talk:Dan Polansky|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Dan Polansky|contribs]]) 11:45, 19 November 2025 (UTC)
:{{ping|Dan Polansky}} Hi Dan. I notified Mu301 of the rise of pseudoscience articles and I notified him of the edit on [[Is slavery good?]] as it was brought to my attention that many individuals were complaining about the comment made on that page. Since they are many current factors one could use in an argument to close down the project, I took the initiative to kick-start a crackdown on controversial content by emailing Mu301 of what was going on and getting to work right away. Your name was never mentioned in the email nor did I make it about you, but I'm assuming he read the discussion that was going on on the talk page and found the comment abhorrent, as I did as well.
:As for Mu301 removing your curator tools, that was never requested on my behalf and I believe this was a decision he made, but I'm assuming that decision was made because curators hold a position which requires trust and responsibility. Unfortunately the comment that was made on that page is extreme enough to question those two characteristics.
:I have not commented on the community review page as I'm waiting for Mu301's thoughts on the matter and I've been tackling other issues on this website. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 12:36, 19 November 2025 (UTC)
:: 1) Is it then that the offensive argument (not my comment!) I entered into a pro-con analysis/wikidebate about whether slavery is good questions my trust and responsibility as a curator?
:: 2) Why did you contact Mu301 specifically instead of e.g. opening a Colloquium discussion, pointing out the existence of complaints (received by what channel?) and stating a call to combat pseudoscience? [[Wikiversity:Support staff]] lists a range of curators, custodians and bureaucrats (all of them could be pinged from a Colloquium discussion); what is specific about Mu301 to be singled out for reception of an off-wiki email? --[[User:Dan Polansky|Dan Polansky]] ([[User talk:Dan Polansky|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Dan Polansky|contribs]]) 12:50, 19 November 2025 (UTC)
:::1) The comment (even in Wikidebate form) shows a lack of appropriate judgement that is needed when presenting such claims on a public project aimed to be educational. It creates a bad reputation for us when someone of trust and responsibility makes comments without the appropriate contextualization (which was very much needed in that case). Curators should be well aware that they hold weight on the project, and it sets a bad precedent for our community when we have people of such responsibility excersise a lack of judgement (especially in an extreme situation like this).
:::2) Because Mu301 is afaik the most senior user on this website (or at least the one who came directly to my mind) and I wanted his oversight on the actions I was willing to take. Secondly, he's pretty busy. I wanted Mu301 to recieve my message as soon as possible since the situation on Wikiversity is dire.
:::—[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 12:58, 19 November 2025 (UTC)
:::: 3) If the offensive argument was such a severe risk for the English Wikiversity as you indicate, why did not you just go ahead and remove the argument from the pro-con analysis page, with an appropriate edit summary explaining why you did so, e.g. "remove an offensive argument that is unacceptable and poses a risk for Wikiversity as for its closure" (or the like)?
:::: 4) What prevents the complainers from creating a user account and raising a complaint directly on the wiki, whether on the talk page of the pro-con analysis page/wikidebate or in Colloquium? Or if they do not want to create a user account, they can use an anonymous IP, and as of recently, that is not even loggeed and instead a masking user account name is automatically generated, ensuring privacy?
:::: 5) Who are the complainers and which channels do they use to complain?
:::: 6) Why did you contact the user that is pretty busy instead of contacting someone who is less busy, e.g. Jtneill?
:::: 7) Where is the evidence that "the situation is dire"?
:::: 8) As a general question: what the heck is going on here? Who is trying to control Wikiversity anonymously, without the text of the complaint being even registered as a communication action? (A nod to Christopher Hitchens). --[[User:Dan Polansky|Dan Polansky]] ([[User talk:Dan Polansky|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Dan Polansky|contribs]]) 13:09, 19 November 2025 (UTC)
== Child psychology/Summary of child psychology (cheat-sheet) ==
I noticed you moved [[Child psychology/Summary of child psychology (cheat-sheet)]] to mainspace. The page does not list any sources. In academic setting, taking ideas of others without attribution is plagiarism, from what I understand, and is to be avoided. I would therefore like to ask you to provide an as complete as possible list of sources that you have used to compose the material and place that list into the page, or explain why my understanding is perhaps incorrect.
My understanding of the concept of plagiarism is tracked at [[One man's look at copyright law#Plagiarism]], where I provide my sources by means of inline references.
I have reviewed other items in [[Child psychology]], such as [[Child psychology/Ch. 1]], and they seem to have the same problem: a lot of ideas presented but not sources. I would therefore like to ask you to fill in the used sources as well.
Since the pages have at least a modicum of GenAI wibe, I would like to ask you whether you used GenAI to compose these pages, whether in whole or in part. The policy draft/policy proposal concerning GenAI is [[WV:Artificial intelligence]]. --[[User:Dan Polansky|Dan Polansky]] ([[User talk:Dan Polansky|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Dan Polansky|contribs]]) 09:35, 20 November 2025 (UTC)
== Support ==
@[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] You have my full support. [[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] ([[User talk:Harold Foppele|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Harold Foppele|contribs]]) 13:22, 20 November 2025 (UTC)
== Translating Wikiversity content ==
Hello Atcovi,
Could you import [[V:it:Fusi orari (scuola media)|this page]] to [[User:RailwayEnthusiast2025/Time zones|this page]]? I will then translate this to English. I already made a request on [[Wikiversity:Import]]. Thank you. —[[User:RailwayEnthusiast2025|<span style="font-family:Verdana; color:#008000; text-shadow:gray 0.2em 0.2em 0.4em;">RailwayEnthusiast2025</span>]] <sup>[[User talk:RailwayEnthusiast2025|<span style="color:#59a53f">''talk with me!''</span>]]</sup> 20:22, 21 November 2025 (UTC)
:Hi {{ping|RailwayEnthusiast2025}} I'm not familiar with importing pages, but it doesn't seem like I can import that page since the wiki (Italian Wikiversity) is not listed on [[Special:Import]]. Perhaps {{ping|koavf}} knows better or can help? —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 23:28, 21 November 2025 (UTC)
::What I'm thinking is just copying the text over from Italian Wikiversity, and then translating it. —[[User:RailwayEnthusiast2025|<span style="font-family:Verdana; color:#008000; text-shadow:gray 0.2em 0.2em 0.4em;">RailwayEnthusiast2025</span>]] <sup>[[User talk:RailwayEnthusiast2025|<span style="color:#59a53f">''talk with me!''</span>]]</sup> 07:59, 22 November 2025 (UTC)
:::@[[User:RailwayEnthusiast2025|RailwayEnthusiast2025]] If you do that, put the following in the edit summary: "<code>copy from [[w:it:ARTICLE]] v. NUMBER</code>".
:::''ARTICLE'' will be the full title of the article, e.g., ''Fusi orari (scuola media)''.
:::''NUMBER'' you get from <code>oldid=</code> of the last version in URL. Just click on <code>Cronologia</code> or <code>View history</code> and then on the time stamp of the version you are copying - probably the last. The time stamp looks as follows: <code>01:44, 16 lug 2025</code>.
:::The full edit summary could look: <code>copy from [[w:it:Fusi orari (scuola media)]] v. 280645</code>. [[User:Juandev|Juandev]] ([[User talk:Juandev|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Juandev|contribs]]) 09:22, 22 November 2025 (UTC)
::See https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Wikiversity:Import&diff=prev&oldid=2775450 —[[User:Koavf|Justin (<span style="color:grey">ko'''a'''vf</span>)]]<span style="color:red">❤[[User talk:Koavf|T]]☮[[Special:Contributions/Koavf|C]]☺[[Special:Emailuser/Koavf|M]]☯</span> 14:48, 22 November 2025 (UTC)
== Pillorying also? ==
[[User:Dan Polansky/Problem reports (about Wikiversity problems)]] is maybe the same problem as the deleted "Juandev" page? Also the user still is curator as to his user page [[User:Dan Polansky]]. [[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] ([[User talk:Harold Foppele|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Harold Foppele|contribs]]) 21:21, 21 November 2025 (UTC)
:There are more such sites @[[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]]. I would leave them now, to the end of CR and than I may request mass deletion or oversight. [[User:Juandev|Juandev]] ([[User talk:Juandev|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Juandev|contribs]]) 22:11, 21 November 2025 (UTC)
::👍 [[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] ([[User talk:Harold Foppele|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Harold Foppele|contribs]]) 23:09, 21 November 2025 (UTC)
::Thanks for letting me know. I think it's best to wait until the end of the CR like Juandev said. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 23:25, 21 November 2025 (UTC)
:::Anyway, it is very quiet right now. Seems there are a lot less discussions. Kind of peacefull, I hope it stays that way. [[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] ([[User talk:Harold Foppele|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Harold Foppele|contribs]]) 18:01, 24 November 2025 (UTC)
== Review Quantum Mechanics ==
Hello @[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] again. Would you maybe know a user that would/could review the pages i created at Quantum (Mechanics, Physics) ? Cheers [[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] ([[User talk:Harold Foppele|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Harold Foppele|contribs]]) 23:31, 21 November 2025 (UTC)
:Hi {{ping|Harold Foppele}} maybe [[User:Guy Vandegrift|Guy Vandegrift]]? He seems to know a lot about physics. Maybe [[Special:EmailUser/Guy vandegrift|shoot him an email]]? Thanks. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 23:33, 21 November 2025 (UTC)
::I tried to contact Guy, but his last contribs are from september. Is he still active? Anyone else that you maybe know? Cheers [[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] ([[User talk:Harold Foppele|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Harold Foppele|contribs]]) 09:52, 22 November 2025 (UTC)
:::Did you try contacting him via email? I'd reckon he would respond faster through those means. As far as I know I do not know anyone else. Perhaps you can contact some physics professors in your local area or even the US, and invite them to contribute to Wikiversity as a "peer-reviewer" or a regular editor? —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 14:57, 22 November 2025 (UTC)
::::Will do. Thanks! [[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] ([[User talk:Harold Foppele|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Harold Foppele|contribs]]) 16:56, 22 November 2025 (UTC)
== ''The Signpost'': 1 December 2025 ==
<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr" style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">[[File:WikipediaSignpostIcon.svg|40px|right]] ''News, reports and features from the English Wikipedia's newspaper''</div>
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* News and notes: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-12-01/News and notes|Election cycles come and go, and Wikimedia Foundation achieves record revenue in 2024–2025!]]
* In the media: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-12-01/In the media|Wales walk-off, antisemitism, supernatural powers, feminism turmoil, saints, and sex]]
* Recent research: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-12-01/Recent research|At least 80 million inconsistent facts on Wikipedia – can AI help find them?]]
* Disinformation report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-12-01/Disinformation report|Epstein email exchanges planned strategy, edits and reported progress]]
* Traffic report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-12-01/Traffic report|It's a family affair]]
* Book review: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-12-01/Book review|''The Seven Rules of Trust'']]
* From the archives: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-12-01/From the archives|"I have been asked by Jeffrey Epstein ..."]]
* Humour: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-12-01/Humour|An interview with Wikipe-tan]]
* Opinion: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-12-01/Opinion|AI finds errors in 90% of Wikipedia's best articles]]
* Serendipity: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-12-01/Serendipity|Highlights from the itWikiCon 2025]]
* Comix: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-12-01/Comix|Madness]]
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== Dan Polansky ==
I want to draw your attention to the edits (mainly copy/paste) by [[user:Dan Polansky|Dan Polansky]]. Still trying to act as curator? They continue their previous harassment. Cheers [[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] ([[User talk:Harold Foppele|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Harold Foppele|contribs]]) 17:05, 12 December 2025 (UTC)
:Hi Harold. We are still waiting for a decision by Mike on [[Wikiversity:Community Review/Dan Polansky]]. I also haven't seen any infractions of Wikiversity policies that Dan has made at this time. It may be worthwhile for you to cease contact with Dan until a decision has been made. Thanks. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 17:21, 12 December 2025 (UTC)
::You are right as alwasy Cheers [[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] ([[User talk:Harold Foppele|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Harold Foppele|contribs]]) 18:35, 12 December 2025 (UTC)
:::Please see my [https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=User_talk:Mu301&diff=prev&oldid=2780717 latest update]. Sorry I can't provide more at this time. Please be patient as my community tries to cope with a difficult situation. --[[User:Mu301|mikeu]] <sup>[[User talk:Mu301|talk]]</sup> 00:53, 17 December 2025 (UTC)
Hi, it seems like you blocked this user, may you undo [https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Log&logid=3472014 their movement] of [[Orbital Platfroms]] to [[User:Marshallsumter/Orbital platforms]]? Thanks. --[[Special:Contributions/~2026-50702-8|~2026-50702-8]] ([[User talk:~2026-50702-8|talk]]) 17:55, 23 January 2026 (UTC)
:Why is that so? It's poor quality. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 22:51, 23 January 2026 (UTC)
== ''The Signpost'': 17 December 2025 ==
<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr" style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">[[File:WikipediaSignpostIcon.svg|40px|right]] ''News, reports and features from the English Wikipedia's newspaper''</div>
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* Interview: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-12-17/Interview|Part 1: Bernadette Meehan]]
* News and notes: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-12-17/News and notes|We're gonna have a party!]]
* In the media: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-12-17/In the media|The "bigg" bosses: Robertsky and the Pope]]
* Traffic report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-12-17/Traffic report|Death and stranger things]]
* Gallery: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-12-17/Gallery|A feast of holidays and carols]]
* Obituary: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-12-17/Obituary|Michal Lewi (Iwelam) and Alan R. King (A R King)]]
* Concept: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-12-17/Concept|List of xxtreme sports (redirected from Electrojousting)]]
* Comix: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2025-12-17/Comix|display: flex-inline;]]
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== Happy New Year, Atcovi! ==
<div style="border: 3px solid #FFD700; background-color: #FFFAF0; padding:0.2em 0.4em; height:auto; min-height:173px; border-radius:1em; {{box-shadow|0.1em|0.1em|0.5em|rgba(0,0,0,0.75)}}<!--
-->" class="plainlinks">
[[File:Everlasting Fireworks looped.gif|left|x173px]][[File:Happy new year 01.svg|x173px|right]]
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{{Center|{{resize|179%|'''''[[New Year|Happy New Year]]!'''''}}}}
'''Atcovi''',<br />Have a prosperous, productive and enjoyable [[New Year]], and thanks for your contributions to Wikiversity.
<br />[[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] ([[User talk:Harold Foppele|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Harold Foppele|contribs]]) 17:12, 2 January 2026 (UTC)<br /><br />
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''{{resize|88%|Send New Year cheer by adding {{tls|Happy New Year fireworks}} to user talk pages.}}''
{{clear}}<!-- From template:Happy New Year fireworks -->
== Glad to see you back. ==
@[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] Good morning. So happy so see that your back. As you wrote, must have been hell weeks.
Is there anything i can do to help? I was thinking about archiving discussions, but i dont think i'm allowed or have rights to do that. Please let me know how and if its possible, or anything else to do. Cheers, [[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] ([[User talk:Harold Foppele|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Harold Foppele|contribs]]) 08:52, 3 January 2026 (UTC)
:Hey thanks Harold and glad to be back. Not at the moment but I will probably be addressing [[Wikiversity:Request_custodian_action#Request_page_creation_block_for_Harold_Foppele|this situation]] shortly, so your cooperation would be greatly appreciated. Wikiversity in general just needs more competent editors and more high-quality content, so let's focus on doing that. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 14:30, 3 January 2026 (UTC)
== The fly ==
Was just for fun :) I actually was waiting for someone to delete it :) [[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] ([[User talk:Harold Foppele|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Harold Foppele|contribs]]) 21:14, 9 January 2026 (UTC)
:Harold, it may be best to put that picture on your userpage instead. Edits like that could be seen as disruptive. Thanks, —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 21:38, 9 January 2026 (UTC)
::Sorry never ment it to be disruptive. Just a small fun in these dark days. [[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] ([[User talk:Harold Foppele|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Harold Foppele|contribs]]) 21:47, 9 January 2026 (UTC)
== Userboxes ==
[[Colloquium#Userboxes]] I hope you like it :) [[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] ([[User talk:Harold Foppele|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Harold Foppele|contribs]]) 12:32, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
== ''The Signpost'': 15 January 2026 ==
<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr" style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">[[File:WikipediaSignpostIcon.svg|40px|right]] ''News, reports and features from the English Wikipedia's newspaper''</div>
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* News and notes: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-01-15/News and notes|Wikipedia's 25th anniversary is here!]]
* Special report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-01-15/Special report|Wikipedia at 25: A Wake-Up Call]]
* Serendipity: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-01-15/Serendipity|The WMF wants to buy you books!]]
* WikiProject report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-01-15/WikiProject report|Time for a health check: the Vital Signs 2026 campaign]]
* In the media: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-01-15/In the media|Fake Acting President Trump and a Wikipedia infobox]]
* Community view: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-01-15/Community view|The inbox behind Wikipedia]]
* Recent research: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-01-15/Recent research|Art museums on Wikidata; comparing three comparisons of Grokipedia and Wikipedia]]
* Traffic report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-01-15/Traffic report|Tonight I'm gonna rock you]]
* Comix: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-01-15/Comix|Oh come on man.]]
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== Site-wide common.js ==
Would it be possible to have a site-wide or global .../common.js ?
See: [[User:Harold_Foppele/common.js]]
Thanks [[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] ([[User talk:Harold Foppele|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Harold Foppele|contribs]]) 09:38, 18 January 2026 (UTC)
:@[[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] The site wide JavaScript page exist at [[MediaWiki:common.js]] [[User:PieWriter|PieWriter]] ([[User talk:PieWriter|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/PieWriter|contribs]]) 10:30, 18 January 2026 (UTC)
::But that cannot be edited. Only Administrators can edit it. [[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] ([[User talk:Harold Foppele|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Harold Foppele|contribs]]) 12:16, 18 January 2026 (UTC)
:::I think you'd have to go to Meta Wikimedia and create your own subpage there. So maybe "User:Harold Foppele/global.js" or "User:Harold Foppele/common.js". Let me know how that goes! —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 15:17, 18 January 2026 (UTC)
::::That works already one can create a common.js at every wiki, but i would like something like: [[Template:User contrib count/count.js]]. My own common.js works fine. It works over all Wiki's. Trump would say it is a beautiful, beautiful script. The best there is. But ...... we, simple users are not allowed to write .js for common use. And that, of course is Ok. Could you as Administrator do it? After that, all you put on your user page is {{User contrib count}} and than it works fine. Cheers [[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] ([[User talk:Harold Foppele|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Harold Foppele|contribs]]) 18:00, 18 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::I'm unfortunately not too experienced with editing [[MediaWiki:common.js]]. Maybe send this request to [[Wikiversity:Request custodian action]] and a more knowledgable administrator can give you a verdict? Sorry. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 18:30, 18 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::::Good idea. Did you try it? Do you want me to put it at your user page? Cheers [[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] ([[User talk:Harold Foppele|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Harold Foppele|contribs]]) 19:11, 18 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::::@[[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] Are you sure you want request forthe script to be enabled for everyone in wikiversity or do you just want your own js page, which you can do at [[User:Harold Foppele/script name.js]] [[User:PieWriter|PieWriter]] ([[User talk:PieWriter|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/PieWriter|contribs]]) 02:27, 19 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::::::That script works already fine. Its easier if there would be a count.js (common) so that only 1 script is needed. [[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] ([[User talk:Harold Foppele|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Harold Foppele|contribs]]) 08:23, 19 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::::::You can add the code to [[User:Harold Foppele/count.js]] and add {{code|importScript('User:Harold Foppele/count.js');}} so that you don’t have to have the entire code in you commons js. [[User:PieWriter|PieWriter]] ([[User talk:PieWriter|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/PieWriter|contribs]]) 08:41, 19 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::::::::I know this. The objective is to have one global script instead of many many separate js files. [[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] ([[User talk:Harold Foppele|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Harold Foppele|contribs]]) 08:52, 19 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::::::::Do you think everyone would prefer that? Some people would like to have their user page based on their individual deigns, this would be disruptive to them. [[User:PieWriter|PieWriter]] ([[User talk:PieWriter|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/PieWriter|contribs]]) 08:55, 19 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::::::::::You don't understand the way this works. It ONLY works if you put the snippet on your user page. Do you know how js works? [[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] ([[User talk:Harold Foppele|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Harold Foppele|contribs]]) 09:45, 19 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::::::::::Well then, wait for a custodian to handle your request. [[User:PieWriter|PieWriter]] ([[User talk:PieWriter|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/PieWriter|contribs]]) 12:58, 19 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::::::::::::It's a long way to tipperary :) [[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] ([[User talk:Harold Foppele|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Harold Foppele|contribs]]) 13:01, 19 January 2026 (UTC)
== ''The Signpost'': 29 January 2026 ==
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* Traffic report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-01-29/Traffic report|The most viewed articles of 2025]]
* News and notes: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-01-29/News and notes|Good news... but also bad news for the Public Domain]]
* News from Diff: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-01-29/News from Diff|Solving puzzles together]]
* In the media: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-01-29/In the media|Every view on the 25th anniversary of everything]]
* Comix: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-01-29/Comix|Perspectives]]
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== About a vandal ==
You blocked {{u|~2026-81387-5}} for 5 days for vandalism. Given that they're continuing to vandalize on their talk page, would you mind revoking talk page access? Might also worth bringing it to an indefinite block, since their edits include adding "I am a vandal" in Ukrainian and they might plausibly restart their vandalism. [[User:lp0 on fire|<span style="color:#c56030;background:inherit;">lp0 on fire</span>]] [[User talk:lp0 on fire|<span style="color:#64cea0;background:inherit">()</span>]] 18:11, 5 February 2026 (UTC)
:Already {{done}} [both talk page access has been revoked, and the block has been extended]. Thank you for your help! —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 18:12, 5 February 2026 (UTC)
::Thanks! [[User:lp0 on fire|<span style="color:#c56030;background:inherit;">lp0 on fire</span>]] [[User talk:lp0 on fire|<span style="color:#64cea0;background:inherit">()</span>]] 18:18, 5 February 2026 (UTC)
== Rfd ?? ==
@[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] Hi, [[Quantum/Henry C. Kapteyn]] someone put an Rfd tag at that page. Am I free to remove it? Cheers [[User:Harold Foppele|Harold Foppele]] ([[User talk:Harold Foppele|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Harold Foppele|contribs]]) 10:49, 11 February 2026 (UTC)
:Hey Harold. The template should remain on the page until the conclusion of the RFD discussion. Thanks! —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 18:36, 11 February 2026 (UTC)
== Possible merge ==
I was planning on merging [[Wikiversity:Requests for Deletion/Archives/21]] and [[Wikiversity:Requests for Deletion/Archives/22]] because the first one has only one month, and isn’t really big. Thoughts? [[User:PieWriter|PieWriter]] ([[User talk:PieWriter|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/PieWriter|contribs]]) 12:23, 11 February 2026 (UTC)
:Hey PieWriter. I don't see any issues with that, just please make sure to update the dates on [[Wikiversity:Requests for Deletion/Archives]]. Thank you for the cleanup! —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 18:38, 11 February 2026 (UTC)
::Sure, will do it later today. [[User:PieWriter|PieWriter]] ([[User talk:PieWriter|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/PieWriter|contribs]]) 23:47, 11 February 2026 (UTC)
::Completed! I plan to work on [[WV:Request custodian action]] soon. I was planning on requesting for Curatorship, to help clear our [[:Category:Candidates for speedy deletion]] and old discussions at [[WV:Deletion requests]] but would like to hear your opinion first. What do you think? [[User:PieWriter|PieWriter]] ([[User talk:PieWriter|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/PieWriter|contribs]]) 09:58, 12 February 2026 (UTC)
:::{{ping|PieWriter}} I do not see any issue with this. Only possible concern, although slight, is the short duration of your time here, but more helping hands is never a bad thing. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 14:11, 10 March 2026 (UTC)
::::Thanks for your response! :) [[User:PieWriter|PieWriter]] ([[User talk:PieWriter|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/PieWriter|contribs]]) 23:22, 10 March 2026 (UTC)
::::Will you be willing to be my mentor? [[User:PieWriter|PieWriter]] ([[User talk:PieWriter|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/PieWriter|contribs]]) 23:29, 10 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::Yes! I'd be willing. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 23:39, 10 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::I created a request at [[Wikiversity:Candidates for Custodianship/PieWriter]] [[User:PieWriter|PieWriter]] ([[User talk:PieWriter|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/PieWriter|contribs]]) 00:13, 11 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::::I'd also be willing to help as well, managing and/or closing RFDs and updating templates for dark mode support. [[User:Codename Noreste|Codename Noreste]] ([[User talk:Codename Noreste|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Codename Noreste|contribs]]) 03:00, 16 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::::@[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] I bit the bullet and decided to run for curatorship. PieWriter's curatorship has ended as of Wednesday, March 18. My curatorship nomination needs to be announced at the site notice, thanks. [[User:Codename Noreste|Codename Noreste]] ([[User talk:Codename Noreste|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Codename Noreste|contribs]]) 18:24, 22 March 2026 (UTC)
== ''The Signpost'': 17 February 2026 ==
<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr" style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">[[File:WikipediaSignpostIcon.svg|40px|right]] ''News, reports and features from the English Wikipedia's newspaper''</div>
<div style="column-count:2;">
* In the media: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-02-17/In the media|Global powers see Wikipedia as fundamental target for manipulation]]
* News and notes: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-02-17/News and notes|Discussions open for the next WMF Annual Plan]]
* Serendipity: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-02-17/Serendipity|Maintenance crews continue to slog through Wikipedia's oldest Featured Articles]]
* Disinformation report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-02-17/Disinformation report|Epstein's obsessions]]
* Technology report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-02-17/Technology report|Wikidata Graph Split and how we address major challenges]]
* Traffic report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-02-17/Traffic report|Deaths, killings, films, and the Olympics]]
* Opinion: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-02-17/Opinion|Incoming Incurables]]
* Crossword: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-02-17/Crossword|Pop quiz]]
* Comix: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-02-17/Comix|herculean]]
</div>
<div style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">'''[[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost|Read this Signpost in full]]''' · [[w:en:Wikipedia:Signpost/Single|Single-page]] · [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Signpost|Unsubscribe]] · [[m:Global message delivery|Global message delivery]] 08:03, 17 February 2026 (UTC)
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== ''The Signpost'': 10 March 2026 ==
<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr" style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">[[File:WikipediaSignpostIcon.svg|40px|right]] ''News, reports and features from the English Wikipedia's newspaper''</div>
<div style="column-count:2;">
* Interview: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-10/Interview|Bernadette Meehan, new Wikimedia Foundation CEO]]
* News and notes: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-10/News and notes|Security testing unleashes computer worm on Meta-wiki]]
* Special report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-10/Special report|What actually happened during the Wikimedia security incident?]]
* In the media: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-10/In the media|Indonesian government blocks Wikimedia logins; archive site scoured from Wikipedia after owner runs malware]]
* Recent research: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-10/Recent research|To wiki, perchance to groki]]
* Obituary: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-10/Obituary|Madhav Gadgil, Fredrick Brennan, Mark Miller, Chip Berlet]]
* Opinion: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-10/Opinion|Interface administrators and trusting trust]]
* Technology report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-10/Technology report|English Wikipedia deprecates archive.today after DDoS against blog, altered content]]
* Op-ed: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-10/Op-ed|Why is "Trypsin-sensitive photosynthetic activities in chloroplast membranes" cited in "List of tallest buildings in Chicago"?]]
* Essay: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-10/Essay|The pursuit of a button click]]
* In focus: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-10/In focus|Short descriptions: One year later]]
* WikiProject report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-10/WikiProject report|Unreferenced articles backlog drive]]
* Community view: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-10/Community view|Speaking of planning ...]]
* Traffic report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-10/Traffic report|Over the mountain, kissing silver inlaid clouds]]
* Crossword: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-10/Crossword|"It will never happen"]]
* Comix: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-10/Comix|BRIEn't]]
</div>
<div style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">'''[[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost|Read this Signpost in full]]''' · [[w:en:Wikipedia:Signpost/Single|Single-page]] · [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Signpost|Unsubscribe]] · [[m:Global message delivery|Global message delivery]] 04:15, 10 March 2026 (UTC)
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== About your recent edit to [[MediaWiki:Sitenotice]] ==
You meant to write "curatorship", not "custodianship" (administrator); that's for PieWriter. Thanks. :) [[User:Codename Noreste|Codename Noreste]] ([[User talk:Codename Noreste|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Codename Noreste|contribs]]) 21:42, 12 March 2026 (UTC)
:Thanks for letting me know, the lack of sleep is definitely evident :p. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 00:40, 13 March 2026 (UTC)
== About something to construction. ==
Can you suggest or help me to made at least 500 constructive, problem-free edits on another wiki. (Even can here) [[User:Anikmolla786|Anikmolla786]] ([[User talk:Anikmolla786|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Anikmolla786|contribs]]) 20:08, 26 March 2026 (UTC)
:{{ping|Anikmolla786}} I'm not sure what you're asking from me, but please refer to [[Wikiversity:What is Wikiversity?]] to see how you can contribute to our website in the best way. —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 12:08, 27 March 2026 (UTC)
::Ok. Thank you, bro. [[User:Anikmolla786|Anikmolla786]] ([[User talk:Anikmolla786|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Anikmolla786|contribs]]) 12:10, 27 March 2026 (UTC)
== ''The Signpost'': 31 March 2026 ==
<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr" style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">[[File:WikipediaSignpostIcon.svg|40px|right]] ''News, reports and features from the English Wikipedia's newspaper''</div>
<div style="column-count:2;">
* News and notes: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-31/News and notes|Entirety of Wikinews to be shut down]]
* In the media: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-31/In the media|AI ban, newspapers disrupt archiving; and antisemitism complaints]]
* Community view: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-31/Community view|Videos from WikiConference North America 2025 in NYC]]
* Disinformation report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-31/Disinformation report|Cleaning up after Jeffrey Epstein, Peter Nygard, and Mohamed Al-Fayed]]
* WikiConference report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-31/WikiConference report|WikiConference North America 2025 in NYC review]]
* Obituary: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-31/Obituary|Dr. Subas Chandra Rout]]
* Traffic report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-31/Traffic report|Call in the dogs of war, soldier of fortune]]
* Gallery: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-31/Gallery|Canadian Rangers participate in Operation ''Enduring Encyclopedia'']]
* Comix: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-03-31/Comix|n00bsitting]]
</div>
<div style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">'''[[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost|Read this Signpost in full]]''' · [[w:en:Wikipedia:Signpost/Single|Single-page]] · [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Signpost|Unsubscribe]] · [[m:Global message delivery|Global message delivery]] 10:09, 31 March 2026 (UTC)
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== Deletion of educational page because of personal opinion ==
You deleted [[Is it likely that Earth has been visited by aliens millions of years ago?]] and [[Are aliens mutilating cattle?]], deriding the subject and pages as "No educational objectives or discussion in history: trash "debate" with arguments just being speculative reasoning (proper, legitimate source is being used to derive unsupported conclusions) and fails to meet Wikiversity's educational requirements" which is not true.
Things where there things seem outlandish and/or there is a lot of controversy is where rationality and logic should ESPECIALLY be applied. These pages were for rational deliberation. You did not engage with it eg by contesting any of the arguments where I doubt you put much if any thought into it and just went with some first impression of 'that must be trash'.
Please undelete these. They used the sources available on the subject, including scientific studies and were of good quality. And you're also wrong about educational objectives. This kind of behavior were things are dismissed out of hand and not rational respectful and thoughtful deliberation takes place is exactly the problem that give the world problems like Trump, increasing polarization, online shouting chambers, etc etc. I would have hoped Wikiversity is better than this. [[User:Prototyperspective|Prototyperspective]] ([[User talk:Prototyperspective|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Prototyperspective|contribs]]) 23:45, 10 April 2026 (UTC)
== Can a curator approve a proposal as a policy or guideline? ==
Hello. I am considering on closing [[Wikiversity:Colloquium#Wikiversity:Artificial intelligence to become an official policy|a discussion at the colloquium]] to approve [[Wikiversity:Artificial intelligence]] as a policy. However, can a curator approve it as a policy/guideline, or it must be left to custodians/bureaucrats? I understand that closing the policy approval discussion must be done by an uninvolved, experienced editor. Thanks. [[User:Codename Noreste|Codename Noreste]] ([[User talk:Codename Noreste|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Codename Noreste|contribs]]) 17:02, 17 April 2026 (UTC)
:Hello! I've read both [[WV:Curators]] & [[WV:Custodians]] and haven't found any restrictions on a Curator closing a discussion, though there should be something about that in the policy pages. I reckon that as long as the mentor gives permission and approves of the way a curator closes a discussion, it should be fine - so you have my agreement in you closing the discussion and implementing WV:AI as a policy. Thanks for asking! —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 21:56, 17 April 2026 (UTC)
== ''The Signpost'': 21 April 2026 ==
<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr" style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">[[File:WikipediaSignpostIcon.svg|40px|right]] ''News, reports and features from the English Wikipedia's newspaper''</div>
<div style="column-count:2;">
* News and notes: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-04-21/News and notes|Six Serbian Wikipedia editors banned following controversy about political bias]]
* In the media: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-04-21/In the media|Could Wikipedia be involved in Massachusetts' proposed social media ban for minors?]]
* Gallery: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-04-21/Gallery|March equinox]]
* Traffic report: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-04-21/Traffic report|Time to change my galaxy in case, we outta space!]]
* Comix: [[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2026-04-21/Comix|Of skirts and articles]]
</div>
<div style="margin-top:10px; font-size:90%; padding-left:5px; font-family:Georgia, Palatino, Palatino Linotype, Times, Times New Roman, serif;">'''[[w:en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost|Read this Signpost in full]]''' · [[w:en:Wikipedia:Signpost/Single|Single-page]] · [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Signpost|Unsubscribe]] · [[m:Global message delivery|Global message delivery]] 06:50, 21 April 2026 (UTC)
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lheayksht37k7vv28jawci56yagdvqe
Understanding Arithmetic Circuits
0
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/* Adder */
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== Adder ==
* Binary Adder Architecture Exploration ( [[Media:Adder.20131113.pdf|pdf]] )
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Adder type !! Overview !! Analysis !! VHDL Level Design !! CMOS Level Design
|-
| '''1. Ripple Carry Adder'''
|| [[Media:VLSI.Arith.1A.RCA.20250522.pdf|A]]||
|| [[Media:Adder.rca.20140313.pdf|pdf]]
|| [[Media:VLSI.Arith.1D.RCA.CMOS.20211108.pdf|pdf]]
|-
| '''2. Carry Lookahead Adder'''
|| [[Media:VLSI.Arith.1.A.CLA.20260109.pdf|org]], [[Media:VLSI.Arith.2A.CLA.20260420.pdf|A]], [[Media:VLSI.Arith.2B.CLA.20260304.pdf|B]] ||
|| [[Media:Adder.cla.20140313.pdf|pdf]]||
|-
| '''3. Carry Save Adder'''
|| [[Media:VLSI.Arith.1.A.CSave.20151209.pdf|A]]||
|| ||
|-
|| '''4. Carry Select Adder'''
|| [[Media:VLSI.Arith.1.A.CSelA.20191002.pdf|A]]||
|| ||
|-
|| '''5. Carry Skip Adder'''
|| [[Media:VLSI.Arith.5A.CSkip.20250405.pdf|A]]||
||
|| [[Media:VLSI.Arith.5D.CSkip.CMOS.20211108.pdf|pdf]]
|-
|| '''6. Carry Chain Adder'''
|| [[Media:VLSI.Arith.6A.CCA.20211109.pdf|A]]||
|| [[Media:VLSI.Arith.6C.CCA.VHDL.20211109.pdf|pdf]], [[Media:Adder.cca.20140313.pdf|pdf]]
|| [[Media:VLSI.Arith.6D.CCA.CMOS.20211109.pdf|pdf]]
|-
|| '''7. Kogge-Stone Adder'''
|| [[Media:VLSI.Arith.1.A.KSA.20140315.pdf|A]]||
|| [[Media:Adder.ksa.20140409.pdf|pdf]]||
|-
|| '''8. Prefix Adder'''
|| [[Media:VLSI.Arith.1.A.PFA.20140314.pdf|A]]||
|| ||
|-
|| '''9.1 Variable Block Adder'''
|| [[Media:VLSI.Arith.1A.VBA.20221110.pdf|A]], [[Media:VLSI.Arith.1B.VBA.20230911.pdf|B]], [[Media:VLSI.Arith.1C.VBA.20240622.pdf|C]], [[Media:VLSI.Arith.1C.VBA.20250218.pdf|D]]||
|| ||
|-
|| '''9.2 Multi-Level Variable Block Adder'''
|| [[Media:VLSI.Arith.1.A.VBA-Multi.20221031.pdf|A]]||
|| ||
|}
</br>
=== Adder Architectures Suitable for FPGA ===
* FPGA Carry-Chain Adder ([[Media:VLSI.Arith.1.A.FPGA-CCA.20210421.pdf|pdf]])
* FPGA Carry Select Adder ([[Media:VLSI.Arith.1.B.FPGA-CarrySelect.20210522.pdf|pdf]])
* FPGA Variable Block Adder ([[Media:VLSI.Arith.1.C.FPGA-VariableBlock.20220125.pdf|pdf]])
* FPGA Carry Lookahead Adder ([[Media:VLSI.Arith.1.D.FPGA-CLookahead.20210304.pdf|pdf]])
* Carry-Skip Adder
</br>
== Barrel Shifter ==
* Barrel Shifter Architecture Exploration ([[Media:Bshift.20131105.pdf|bshfit.vhdl]], [[Media:Bshift.makefile.20131109.pdf|bshfit.makefile]])
</br>
'''Mux Based Barrel Shifter'''
* Analysis ([[Media:Arith.BShfiter.20151207.pdf|pdf]])
* Implementation
</br>
== Multiplier ==
=== Array Multipliers ===
* Analysis ([[Media:VLSI.Arith.1.A.Mult.20151209.pdf|pdf]])
</br>
=== Tree Mulltipliers ===
* Lattice Multiplication ([[Media:VLSI.Arith.LatticeMult.20170204.pdf|pdf]])
* Wallace Tree ([[Media:VLSI.Arith.WallaceTree.20170204.pdf|pdf]])
* Dadda Tree ([[Media:VLSI.Arith.DaddaTree.20170701.pdf|pdf]])
</br>
=== Booth Multipliers ===
* [[Media:RNS4.BoothEncode.20161005.pdf|Booth Encoding Note]]
* Booth Multiplier Note ([[Media:BoothMult.20160929.pdf|H1.pdf]])
</br>
== Divider ==
* Binary Divider ([[Media:VLSI.Arith.1.A.Divider.20131217.pdf|pdf]])</br>
</br>
</br>
go to [ [[Electrical_%26_Computer_Engineering_Studies]] ]
[[Category:Digital Circuit Design]]
[[Category:FPGA]]
dumvub2wu4cbprzx8uxmn95tin082lp
Wikiversity:Newsletters/Tech News
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/* Tech News: 2026-17 */ new section
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{{Archive box|[[/2014/]] · [[/2015/]] · [[/2016/]] · [[/2017/]] · [[/2018/]] · [[/2019/]] · [[/2020/]] · [[/2021/]] · [[/2022/]] · [[/2023/]] · [[/2024/]] · [[/2025/]]}}
__TOC__
{{Clear}}
== Tech News: 2026-03 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W03"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/03|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* The Wikimedia Foundation has shared some guiding questions for the July 2026–June 2027 Annual Plan on [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2026-2027/Product & Technology OKRs|Meta]] and ''[[diffblog:2025/12/10/shaping-wikimedia-foundations-2026-2027-annual-goals-key-questions-for-the-wikimedia-movement/|Diff]]''. These focus on global trends, faster and healthier experimentation, better support for newcomers, strengthening editors and advanced users, improving collaboration across projects, and growing and retaining readership. Feedback and ideas are welcome on the [[m:Talk:Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2026-2027|talk page]].
'''Updates for editors'''
* As part of the current work of Community Tech team on the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist/W372|Multiple watchlists]] project, the display of [[Special:EditWatchlist|EditWatchlist]] will be updated as a first step towards multiple watchlists. Additionally, the pagination on [[Special:Search|Search]] will be updated too, as a part of the work on the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist/W186|Revamp pagination / page navigation]] wish. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T411596]
* [[m:Special:GlobalWatchlist|The Global Watchlist]] is a MediaWiki [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:GlobalWatchlist|extension]] that lets you see your watchlists from different wikis on the same page. It was recently updated to look more like the regular [[Special:Watchlist|Watchlist]], such as preparing it for temporary accounts in IP masking (including rerouting user links to contributions pages), making page titles bold, and opening links in edit summaries and tags in new browser tabs. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T398361][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T298919][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T273526][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T286309]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:28}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:28|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the issue where global blocks did not have the option to disable sending emails, has now been fixed, and will be available for use in the week of January 13. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T401293]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/VisualEditor/Citation tool|VisualEditor citation tool]] and [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Reference Previews|Reference Previews]] now support "map" as a reference type. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T411083]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.10|MediaWiki]]/[[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.11|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/03|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W03"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 19:33, 12 January 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-04 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W04"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/04|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* The tray shown on [[Special:Diff|Special:Diff]] in mobile view has been redesigned. It is now collapsed by default, and incorporates a link to undo the edit being viewed, making it easier for mobile editors and reviewers to take action while keeping the interface uncluttered. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T402297]
* [[m:Special:GlobalWatchlist|The Global Watchlist]] lets you view your watchlists from multiple wikis on one page. The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:GlobalWatchlist|extension]] continues to improve — it now automatically determines the text direction (ensuring correct display of sites with unusual domain names) and shows detailed descriptions for log actions. Later this week, a new permanent link for page creations and CSS classes for each entry element will be added. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T412505][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T287929][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T262768][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T414135]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:32}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:32|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the previously observed issue in Vector 2022, where anchor link targets were obscured by the sticky header, has now been addressed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T406114]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* As mentioned in the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/44|October 2025 deprecation announcement]], MediaWiki Interfaces team will begin sunsetting all transform endpoints containing a trailing slash from the MediaWiki REST API the week of January 26. Changes are expected to roll out to all wikis on or before January 30th. All API users currently calling them are encouraged to transition to the non-trailing slash versions. Both endpoint variations can be found, compared, and tested using the [https://test.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:RestSandbox REST Sandbox]. If you have questions or encounter any problems, please file a ticket in Phabricator to the [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/project/view/6931/ #MW-Interfaces-Team board].
* Interactive reference documentation for the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia REST API|Wikimedia REST API]] has moved. Requests to API docs previously hosted through [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/RESTBase|RESTBase]] (e.g.: <code dir=ltr>https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/</code>) are now redirected to the [[w:en:Special:RestSandbox|REST Sandbox]].
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikidata Platform|WMF Wikidata Platform team]] (WDP) has published its [[d:Special:MyLanguage/Wikidata:Wikidata Platform team/Newsletter|January 2026 newsletter]]. It includes updates on the legacy full-graph endpoint decommissioning, the User-Agent policy change, the monthly Blazegraph migration office hours, and efforts to reduce regressions caused by the legacy endpoint shutdown. As a reminder, you can [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Global message delivery/Targets/WDP team updates|subscribe to the WDP newsletter]]!
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.12|MediaWiki]]
'''Meetings and events'''
* The [[mw:Wikimedia Hackathon Northwestern Europe 2026|Wikimedia Hackathon Northwestern Europe 2026]] will take place on 13-14 March 2026 in Arnhem, the Netherlands. Applications opened mid-December and will close soon or when capacity is reached. It's a two-day, technically oriented hackathon bringing together Wikimedians from the region. Hope to see you there!
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/04|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W04"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 20:29, 19 January 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-05 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W05"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/05|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* Wikimedia Foundation invites comments on [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Product and Technology Advisory Council/Year1 Reflections and Proposed Way Forward 2026 Update|proposed future]] of the [[:m:Special:MyLanguage/Product and Technology Advisory Council|Product and Technology Advisory Council]] until 28 February.
* All users with registered accounts can now use passkeys for [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Two-factor authentication|two-factor authentication]] (2FA). Passkeys are a simple way to log in without using a second device. They verify the user's identity using a fingerprint, face scan, or a PIN code. To set up a passkey, first set up a regular 2FA method. Currently, to log in with a passkey, users must also use a password. Later this quarter, passwordless login will allow users to log in with a single click and a passkey. Users with advanced rights will also be required to have 2FA enabled. This is part of the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Product Safety and Integrity/Account Security|Account Security]] project.
* Unregistered contributors on blocked IPs or blocked IP ranges can now interact on-wiki to appeal a block by creating a temporary account to appeal a block on the user talk page, unless the "prevent this user from editing their own talk page" is enabled. This solves the problem of logged-out users unable to use the default unblock process via user talk page. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T398673]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:20}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:20|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) methods description on the management page has been updated. It is now clearer and easier for users to understand and make use of. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T332385]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* A new AbuseFilter variable, <code>account_type</code>, has been added to provide a reliable way to determine the account type being created in the <code>createaccount</code> and <code>autocreateaccount</code> actions. As part of this change, the variable <code>accountname</code> has been renamed to <code>account_name</code>, and <code>accountname</code> is now deprecated. Edit filter managers should update any filters that use hardcoded account type checks or the deprecated variable. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T414049]
* Image thumbnails that are requested in non-standard sizes, and using non-standard methods such as direct requests to <code dir=ltr><nowiki>upload.wikimedia.org/…</nowiki></code> will stop working in the near future. This change is to prevent ongoing external abuse by web-scrapers and bots. Some users with custom CSS/JS, Interface Admins who can fix gadgets and local skins, and Tool-authors, will need to update their code to use standard thumbnail sizes. [[phab:T414805|Details, search-links, and examples of how to fix them, are available in the task]].
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.13|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/05|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W05"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 21:17, 26 January 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-06 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W06"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/06|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* The "{{int:pageinfo-toolboxlink}}" feature, which gives validating information about a page ([{{fullurl:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|action=info}} example]), now automatically includes a table of contents. If there is a local [[{{ns:8}}:Pageinfo-header]] page created by individual users, it can now be removed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T363726]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:21}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:21|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, VisualEditor previously added bold or italic formatting inside link descriptions, making the wikicode complex. This has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T409669]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* There was no XML dump on 20 January. Additionally, from now on, dumps will be generated once per month only. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T414389]
* The MediaWiki Interfaces team removed support for all transform endpoints containing a trailing slash from the [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/API:REST%20API MediaWiki REST API]. All API users currently calling those endpoints are encouraged to transition to the non-trailing slash versions. If you have questions or encounter any problems, please file a ticket in phabricator to the [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/project/view/6931/ #MW-Interfaces-Team board].
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.14|MediaWiki]]
'''Weekly highlight'''
* Users are reminded that the Wikimedia Foundation has shared some guiding questions for the July 2026–June 2027 Annual Plan on [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2026-2027/Product & Technology OKRs|Meta]] and ''[[diffblog:2025/12/10/shaping-wikimedia-foundations-2026-2027-annual-goals-key-questions-for-the-wikimedia-movement/|Diff]]''. These focus on global trends, faster and healthier experimentation, better support for newcomers, strengthening editors and advanced users, improving collaboration across projects, and growing and retaining readership. Feedback and ideas are welcome on the [[m:Talk:Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2026-2027|talk page]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/06|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W06"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 17:43, 2 February 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-07 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W07"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/07|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* [[File:Maki-gift-15.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Wishlist item]] Logged-in contributors who manage large or complex watchlists can now organise and filter watched pages in ways that improve their workflows with the new [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Watchlist labels|Watchlist labels]] feature. By adding custom labels (for example: pages you created, pages being monitored for vandalism, or discussion pages) users can more quickly identify what needs attention, reduce cognitive load, and respond more efficiently. This improves watchlist usability, especially for highly active editors.
* A new feature available on [[Special:Contributions|Special:Contributions]] shows [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts|temporary accounts]] that are likely operated by the same person, and so makes patrolling less time-consuming. Upon checking contributions of a temporary account, users with access to temporary account IP addresses can now see a view of contributions from the related temporary accounts. The feature looks up all the IPs associated with a given temporary account within the data retention period and shows all the contributions of all temporary accounts that have used these IPs. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts#February 2026: Improvements to the patroller tooling|Learn more]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T415674]
* When editors preview a wikitext edit, the reminder box that they are only seeing a preview (which is shown at the top), now has a grey/neutral background instead of a yellow/warning background. This makes it easier to distinguish preview notes from actual warnings (for example, edit conflicts or problematic redirect targets), which will now be shown in separate warning or error boxes. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T414742]
* The [[m:Special:GlobalWatchlist|Global Watchlist]] lets you view your watchlists from multiple wikis on one page. The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:GlobalWatchlist|extension]] continues to improve — it now properly supports more than one Wikibase site, for example both [[d:|Wikidata]] and [[testwikidata:|testwikidata]]. In addition, issues regarding text direction have been fixed for users who prefer Wikidata or other Wikibase sites in right-to-left (RTL) languages. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T415440][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T415458]
* The automatic "magic links" for ISBN, RFC, and PMID numbers have been [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Magic links|deprecated in wikitext since 2021]] due to inflexibility and difficulties with localization. Several wikis have successfully replaced RFC and PMID magic links with equivalent external links, but a template was often required to replace the functionality of the ISBN magic link. There is now a new [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Magic words#isbn|built-in parser function]] <code dir=ltr><nowiki>{{#isbn}}</nowiki></code> available to replace the basic functionality of the ISBN magic link. This makes it easier for wikis who wish to migrate off of the deprecated magic link functionality to do so. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T145604]
* Two new wikis have been created:
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikipedia}} in [[d:Q35401|Jju]] ([[w:kaj:|<code>w:kaj:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T413283]
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikipedia}} in [[d:Q1186896|Nawat]] ([[w:ppl:|<code>w:ppl:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T413273]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:23}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:23|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* A new global user group has been created: [[{{int:grouppage-local-bot}}|{{int:group-local-bot}}]]. It will be used internally by the software to allow community bots to bypass rate limits that are applied to abusive [[w:en:Web scraping|web scrapers]]. Accounts that are approved as bots on at least one Wikimedia wiki will be automatically added to this group. It will not change what user permissions the bot has. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T415588]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.15|MediaWiki]]
'''Meetings and events'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/MediaWiki Users and Developers Conference Spring 2026|MediaWiki Users and Developers Conference, Spring 2026]] will be held March 25–27 in Salt Lake City, USA. This event is organized by and for the third-party MediaWiki community. You can propose sessions and register to attend. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/AZBWVI46SDEB65PGR5J6E4TYOQQEZXM7/]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/07|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W07"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:30, 9 February 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-08 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W08"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/08|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Site Reliability Engineering|SRE Team]] will be performing a cleanup of Wikimedia's [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Etherpad|Etherpad]] instance, the web-based editor for real-time collaborative document editing. All pads will be permanently deleted after 30 April, 2026 – if there are still migration projects in progress at that point the team can revisit the date on a case by case basis. Please create local backups of any content you wish to keep, as deleted data cannot be recovered. This cleanup helps reduce database size and minimize infrastructure footprint. Etherpad will continue to support real-time collaboration, but long-term storage should not be expected. Additional cleanups may occur in the future without prior notice. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T415237]
'''Updates for editors'''
* The Information Retrieval team will be launching an [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Readers/Information Retrieval/Phase 1|Android mobile app experiment]] that tests hybrid search capabilities which can handle both semantic and keyword queries. The improvement of on-platform search will enable readers to find what they’re looking for directly on Wikipedia more easily. The experiment will first be launched on Greek Wikipedia in late February, followed by English, French, and Portuguese in March. [https://diff.wikimedia.org/2026/01/08/semantic-search-making-it-easier-to-find-the-information-readers-want/ Read more] on Diff blog. [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Readers/Information_Retrieval]
* The Reader Growth team will run [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Readers/Reader Growth/WE3.10.2 Mobile Table of Contents|an experiment]] for mobile web users, that adds a table of contents and automatically expands all article sections, to learn more about navigation issues they face. The test will be available on Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Indonesian, and Vietnamese Wikipedias.
* Previously, site notices ([[{{ns:8}}:Sitenotice]] and [[{{ns:8}}:Anonnotice]]) would only render on the desktop site. Now, they will render on all platforms. Users on mobile web will now see these notices and be informed. Site administrators should be prepared to test and fix notices on mobile devices to avoid interference with articles. To opt out, interface admins can add <code dir="ltr">#siteNotice { display: none; }</code> to [[{{ns:8}}:Minerva.css]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T138572][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T416644]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:19}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:19|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, an issue on [[Special:RecentChanges|Special:RecentChanges]] has been fixed. Previously, clicking hide in the active filters caused the "view new changes since…" button to disappear, though it should have remained visible. The button now behaves as expected. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T406339]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* New documentation is now available to help editors debug on-site search features. It supports troubleshooting when pages do not appear in results, when ranking seems unexpected, and when you need to inspect what content is being indexed, helping make search behavior easier to understand and analyze. [[mw:Help:CirrusSearch/Debug|Learn more]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T411169]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.16|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/08|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W08"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 19:17, 16 February 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-09 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W09"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/09|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Edit check/Reference Check|Reference Check]] has been deployed to English Wikipedia, completing its rollout across all Wikipedias. The feature prompts newcomers to add a citation before publishing new content, helping reduce common citation-related reverts and improve verifiability. In A/B testing, the impact was substantial: newcomers shown Reference Check were approximately 2.2 times more likely to include a reference on desktop and about 17.5 times more likely on mobile web. [https://analytics.wikimedia.org/published/reports/editing/reference_check_ab_test_report_final_2025.html]
'''Updates for editors'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:InterwikiSorting|InterwikiSorting extension]], which allowed for the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Interwiki sorting order|sorting of interwiki links]], has been undeployed from Wikipedia. As a result, editors who had enabled interwiki link sorting in non-compact mode (full list format) will now see links reordered. The links moving forward will be listed in the alphabetical order of language code. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T253764]
* Later this week, people who are editing a page-section using the mobile visual editor, will notice a new "Edit full page" button. When tapped, you will be able to edit the entire article. This helps when the change you want to make is outside the section you initially opened. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T387175][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T409112]
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Readers/Reader Experience|The Reader Experience team]] is inviting editors to assess whether dark mode should still be considered "beta" on their wiki, based on their experience of how well it functions on desktop and mobile. If the feature is deemed mature, editors can update the interface messages in <code dir=ltr>MediaWiki:skin-theme-description</code> and <code dir=ltr>MediaWiki:Vector-night-mode-beta-tag</code> to indicate that dark mode is ready and no longer considered beta.
* The improved [[mw:Wikimedia_Apps/Team/iOS/Activity_Tab|Activity tab]] which displays user-insights is now available to all users of the Wikipedia iOS app (version 7.9.0 and later). Following earlier A/B testing that showed higher account creation among users with access to the feature, it has been rolled out to 100% of users along with some updates. The Activity tab now shows your edited articles in the timeline, offers editing impact insights like contribution counts and article view trends, and customization options to improve in-app experience for users.
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:21}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:21|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, a bug that prevented [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:DiscussionTools|DiscussionTools]] from working on mobile has now been fixed, restoring full functionality. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T415303]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* The [[m:Special:GlobalWatchlist|Global Watchlist]] lets you view your watchlists from multiple wikis on one page. The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:GlobalWatchlist|extension]] that makes this possible continues to improve. The latest upgrade is the inclusion of a [[mw:Extension:GlobalWatchlist#hook|new hook]], <code dir=ltr>ext.globalwatchlist.rebuild</code>, which fires after each watchlist rebuild. This allows you to run gadgets and user scripts for the Special page. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T275159]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.17|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/09|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W09"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 19:03, 23 February 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-10 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W10"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/10|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* Wikipedia 25 [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikipedia 25/Easter egg experiments|Birthday mode]] is now live on Betawi, Breton, Chinese, Czech, Dutch, English, French, Gorontalo, Indonesian, Italian, Luxembourgish, Madurese, Sicilian, Spanish, Thai, and Vietnamese Wikipedias! This limited-time campaign feature celebrates 25 years of Wikipedia with a birthday mascot, Baby Globe. When turned on, Baby Globe is shown on [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikipedia 25/Easter egg experiments/article configuration|~2,500 articles]], waiting to be discovered by readers. Communities can choose to turn Birthday mode on by getting consensus from their community and asking an admin to enable the feature and customize it via [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikipedia 25/Easter egg experiments#Community Configuration Demo|community configuration]] on the local wiki.
'''Updates for editors'''
* [[:m:Special:MyLanguage/WMDE Technical Wishes/Sub-referencing|Sub-referencing]], a new feature to re-use references with different details has been released to Swedish Wikipedia, Polish Wikipedia and [[:phab:T418209|a couple of other wikis]]. You can [[:m:Special:MyLanguage/WMDE Technical Wishes/Sub-referencing#test|try the feature]] on these projects or on testwiki and [https://en.wikipedia.beta.wmcloud.org/wiki/Sub-referencing betawiki]. Learnings from the first pilot wiki German Wikipedia have been [[:m:Special:MyLanguage/WMDE Technical Wishes/Sub-referencing/Learnings|published in a report]]. Reach out to the Wikimedia Deutschland team if you are [[:m:Talk:WMDE Technical Wishes/Sub-referencing#Pilot wikis|interested in becoming a pilot wiki]].
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Edit check#Paste check|Paste Check]] will become available at all Wikipedias this week. The feature prompts newcomers who are pasting text they are not likely to have written into VisualEditor to consider whether doing so risks a copyright violation. Paste Check [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Edit check/Tags|tags]] all edits where it is shown for potential review. Local administrators can configure various aspects of the feature via [[{{#special:EditChecks}}]]. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Edit check/Paste Check#A/B Experiment|Research]] across 22 wikis found that Paste Check resulted in an 18% decrease in relative reverted-edits compared to the control group. Translators can [https://translatewiki.net/w/i.php?title=Special%3ATranslate&group=ext-visualeditor-ve-mw-editcheck&filter=&optional=1&action=translate help to localize] this and related features.
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Readers/Reader Experience|Reader Experience team]] will be standardizing the user menu in the top right for all mobile users so that it is closer to the desktop experience. Currently this user menu is only visible to users with Advanced Mobile Controls (AMC) turned on. The only change is that a couple buttons previously in the left-side menu will move to the top right for users who do not have AMC turned on. This change is expected to go out March 9 and seeks to improve the user interface. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T413912]
* Starting in the week of March 2, the emails sent out when an email address was added, removed, or changed for an account will switch to a substantially nicer and clearer HTML email from the prior plaintext one. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T410807]
* Notifications are currently limited to 2,000 historic entries per user, and extend back to 2013 when the feature was released. This is going to be changed to only store Notifications from the last 5 years, but up to 10,000 of them. This will help with long-term infrastructure health and help to prevent more recent notifications from disappearing too soon. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T383948]
* The [[m:Special:GlobalWatchlist|Global Watchlist]] which lets you view your watchlists from multiple wikis on a single page continues to see improvements. The latest update improves label usage experience. The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:GlobalWatchlist|extension]] now allows activating the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Language#Fallback languages|language fallback system]] for Wikidata items without labels in the viewed language, and showing those labels in the user’s preferred Wikidata language if no <code dir=ltr>uselang=</code> URL parameter is provided. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T373686][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T416111]
* The Wikipedia Android team has started a beta test of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Readers/Information Retrieval/Phase 1|hybrid search]] on Greek Wikipedia. Hybrid search capabilities can handle both semantic and keyword queries enabling readers to find what they’re looking for directly on Wikipedia more easily.
* For security reasons, members of certain user groups are [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Mandatory two-factor authentication for users with some extended rights|required to have two-factor authentication]] (2FA) enabled. Currently, 2FA is required to use the group, but not to be a member of it. Given that this model still has some vulnerabilities, the situation will [[phab:T418580|gradually change in March]]. Members of these groups will be unable to disable last 2FA method on their account, and it will be impossible to add users without 2FA to these groups. Users will still be able to add new authentication methods or remove them, as long as at least one method is continuously enabled. In the second half of March, users without 2FA will be removed from these groups. This applies to: CentralNotice administrators, checkusers, interface administrators, suppressors, Wikidata staff, Wikifunctions staff, WMF Office IT and WMF Trust & Safety. Nothing will change for other users. See the linked task for deployment schedule. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T418580]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:27}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:27|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the issue preventing users from creating an instance in [https://www.wikibase.cloud/ Wikibase.cloud] has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T416807]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* To help ensure [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/MediaWiki Product Insights/Responsible Reuse|fair use of infrastructure]], over the next month the Wikimedia Foundation will implement global API rate limits across our APIs. In early March, stricter limits will be applied to unidentified requests from outside Toolforge/WMCS and API requests that are made from web browsers. In April, higher limits will be applied to identified traffic. These limits are intentionally set as high as possible to minimise impact on the community. Bots running in Toolforge/WMCS or with the bot user right on any wiki should not be affected for now. However, all developers are advised to follow updated best practices. For more information, see [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia APIs/Rate limits|Wikimedia APIs/Rate limits]].
* The Wikidata Query Service Linked Data Fragment (LDF) endpoint will be decommissioned in February. This endpoint served limited traffic, which was successfully migrated to other data access methods that were better suited to support existing use cases. The hardware used to support the LDF endpoint will be reallocated to support the ongoing backend migration efforts. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T415696]
* The new Parsoid parser [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Parsoid/Parser Unification/Updates|continues to be deployed to additional wikis]], improving platform sustainability and making it easier to introduce new reading and editing features. Parsoid is now the default parser on 488 WMF wikis (268 Wikipedias), now covering more than 10% of all Wikipedia page views.
* The process and criteria for [[Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Enterprise#Access|requesting exceptional access]] to the high volume feed of the ''Wikimedia Enterprise'' APIs (at no cost for mission-aligned usecases), [[m:Talk:Wikimedia Enterprise#Exceptional access criteria|have now been published]]. This is to provide more thorough and clearer documentation for users.
* [https://techblog.wikimedia.org/ Tech Blog], the blog dedicated to the Wikimedia technical community [https://techblog.wikimedia.org/2026/02/24/a-tech-blog-diff/ will be migrating] to [[diffblog:|Diff]], the community news and event blog. The migration should be complete in April 2026, after which new posts will be accepted for publishing. Readers will be able to access posts – old and new – on the landing page at https://diff.wikimedia.org/techblog.
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.18|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/10|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W10"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 17:51, 2 March 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-11 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W11"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/11|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/Server switch|All wikis will be read-only]] for a few minutes on Wednesday, 25 March 2026 at [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1774450800 15:00 UTC]. This is for the datacenter server switchover backup tests, [[wikitech:Deployments/Yearly calendar|which happen twice a year]]. During the switchover, all Wikimedia website traffic is shifted from one primary data center to the backup data center to test availability and prevent service disruption even in emergencies.
* Last week, all wikis had 2 hours of read-only time, and extended unavailability for user-scripts and gadgets. This was due to a security incident which has since been resolved. Work is ongoing to prevent re-occurrences. For current information please see the [[m:Steward's noticeboard#Statement on Meta about today's user script security incident|post on the Stewards' noticeboard]] ([[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation/Product and Technology/Product Safety and Integrity/March 2026 User Script Incident|translations]]).
'''Updates for editors'''
* Users facing multiple blocks on mobile will now see the reasons for each block separately, instead of a generic message. This helps them understand why they are blocked and what steps they can take to resolve the issue. For example, users affected for using common VPNs (such as [[Special:MyLanguage/Apple iCloud Private Relay|iCloud Private Relay]]) will receive clearer guidance on what they need to do to start editing again. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T357118]
* Later this week, [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/VisualEditor/Suggestion Mode|Suggestion Mode]] will become available as a beta feature within the visual editor at all Wikipedias. This feature proactively suggests various types of actions that people can consider taking to improve Wikipedia articles, and learn about related guidelines. The feature is locally configurable, and can also be locally expanded with custom Suggestions. Current settings can be seen at [[Special:EditChecks]] and there are [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Suggestion mode#For administrators %E2%80%93 local customization|instructions for how administrators can customize]] the links to point to local guidelines. The feature is connected to [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Edit check|Edit check]] which suggests improvements while someone is writing new content. In the future, the Editing team plans to evaluate the feature's impact with newcomers through a controlled experiment. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T404600]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:23}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:23|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the issue where the cursor became misaligned during the use of CodeMirror’s syntax highlighting, which makes wikitext and code easier to read, has now been fixed. This problem specifically affected users who defined a font rule in a custom stylesheet while creating a new topic with DiscussionTools. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T418793]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* API rate limiting update: To help ensure [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/MediaWiki Product Insights/Responsible Reuse|fair use of infrastructure]], global API rate limits will be applied this week to requests without a compliant User-Agent that originate from outside Toolforge/WMCS and to unauthenticated requests made from web browsers. Higher limits will be applied to identified traffic in April. Bots running in Toolforge/WMCS or with the bot user right on any wiki should not be affected for now. However, all developers are advised to follow updated best practices. For more information, see [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia APIs/Rate limits|Wikimedia APIs/Rate limits]].
* The new GraphQL API has been released. The API was developed as a flexible alternative to select features of the Wikidata Query Service (WDQS), to improve developer experience and foster adaptability, and efficient data access. Try it out and [[d:Wikidata:Wikibase GraphQL#Feedback and development|give feedback]]. You can also [https://greatquestion.co/wikimediadeutschland/GraphQLAPI/apply sign up for usability tests].
* The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Product and Technology Advisory Council/Unsupported Tools Working Group|PTAC Unsupported Tools Working Group]] continued improvements to [[commons:Special:MyLanguage/Commons:Video2commons#|Video2Commons]] in February, with fixes addressing authentication errors, large-file handling, task queue visibility, and clearer upload behavior. Work is still ongoing in some areas, including changes related to deprecated server-side uploads. Read [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Product and Technology Advisory Council/Unsupported Tools Working Group#February 2026|this update]] to learn more.
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.19|MediaWiki]]
'''In depth'''
* The Article Guidance team invites experienced Wikipedia editors from selected [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Article guidance/Pilot wikis and collaborators#Collaborators|pilot wikis]] and interested contributors from other Wikipedias to fill out this questionnaire which is available in [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfmLeVWnxmsCbPoI_UF2jyRcn73WRGWCVPHzerXb4Cz97X_Ag/viewform English], [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6rzr4XXQw8r4024fE3geTPFe13M_6w7Mitj-YJi0sOlWTAw/viewform?usp=header Arabic], [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdok3-RfB18lcugYTUMGkpwmqG_8p760Wv4dCXitOXOszjUDw/viewform?usp=header Bengali], [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfjTfYp4jEo0akA4B1e-Nfg3QZPCudUjhJzHzzDi6AHyAaMGA/viewform?usp=header Japanese], [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScteVoI29Aue4xc72dekk-6RYtvmMgQxzMI900UOawrFrSTWg/viewform?usp=header Portuguese], [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSetdxnYwL3ub2vqA7awCg5hJZPMIYcDPaiTe12rY9h0GYnVlw/viewform?usp=header Persian], and [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScNvfJF-Ot-4pzA4qAN771_0QDJ4Li19YcUsaTgSKW8Nc7U_Q/viewform?usp=header Turkish]. Your answers will help the team customize guidance for less experienced editors and help them learn community policies and practices while creating an article. Learn more [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Article guidance|on the project page]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/11|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W11"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 18:53, 9 March 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-12 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W12"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/12|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror|{{int:codemirror-beta-feature-title}}]] beta feature, also known as [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeMirror|CodeMirror 6]], has been used for wikitext syntax highlighting since November 2024. It will be promoted out of beta by May 2026 in order to bring improvements and new [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror#Features|features]] to all editors who use the standard syntax highlighter. If you have any questions or concerns about promoting the feature out of beta, [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help talk:Extension:CodeMirror|please share]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T259059]
* Some changes to local user groups are performed by stewards on Meta-Wiki and logged there only. Now, interwiki rights changes will be logged both on Meta-Wiki and the wiki of the target user to make it easier to access a full record of user's rights changes on a local wiki. Past log entries for such changes will be backfilled in the coming weeks. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T6055]
* On wikis using [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Flagged Revisions|Flagged Revisions]], the number of pending changes shown on [[{{#Special:PendingChanges}}]] previously counted pages which were no longer pending review, because they have been removed from the system without being reviewed, e.g. due to being deleted, moved to a different namespace, or due to wiki configuration changes. The count will be correct now. On some wikis the number shown will be much smaller than before. There should be no change to the list of pages itself. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T413016]
* Wikifunctions composition language has been rewritten, resulting in a new version of the language. This change aims to increase service stability by reducing the orchestrator's memory consumption. This rewrite also enables substantial latency reduction, code simplification, and better abstractions, which will open the door to later feature additions. Read more about [[f:Special:MyLanguage/Wikifunctions:Status updates/2026-03-11|the changes]].
* Users can now sort search results alphabetically by page title. The update gives an additional option to finding pages more easily and quickly. Previously, results could be sorted by Edit date, Creation date, or Relevance. To use the new option, open 'Advanced Search' on the search results page and select 'Alphabetically' under 'Sorting Order'. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T403775]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:28}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:28|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the bug that prevented UploadWizard on Wikimedia Commons from importing files from Flickr has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T419263]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* A new special page, [[{{#special:LintTemplateErrors}}]], has been created to list transcluded pages that are flagged as containing lint errors to help users discover them easily. The list is sorted by the number of transclusions with errors. For example: [[{{#special:LintTemplateErrors}}/night-mode-unaware-background-color]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T170874]
* Users of the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror|{{int:codemirror-beta-feature-title}}]] beta feature have been using [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeMirror|CodeMirror]] instead of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeEditor|CodeEditor]] for syntax highlighting when editing JavaScript, CSS, JSON, Vue and Lua content pages, for some time now. Along with promoting CodeMirror 6 out of beta, the plan is to replace CodeEditor as the standard editor for these content models by May 2026. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help talk:Extension:CodeMirror|Feedback or concerns are welcome]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T419332]
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeMirror|CodeMirror]] JavaScript modules will soon be upgraded to CodeMirror 6. Leading up to the upgrade, loading the <code dir=ltr>ext.CodeMirror</code> or <code dir=ltr>ext.CodeMirror.lib</code> modules from gadgets and user scripts was deprecated in July 2025. The use of the <code dir=ltr>ext.CodeMirror.switch</code> hook was also deprecated in March 2025. Contributors can now make their scripts or gadgets compatible with CodeMirror 6. See the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeMirror#Gadgets and user scripts|migration guide]] for more information. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T373720]
* The MediaWiki Interfaces team is expanding coverage of REST API module definitions to include [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/API:REST API/Extensions|extension APIs]]. REST API modules are groups of related endpoints that can be independently managed and versioned. Modules now exist for [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T414470 GrowthExperiments] and [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T419053 Wikifunctions] APIs. As we migrate extension APIs to this structure, documentation will move out of the main MediaWiki OpenAPI spec and REST Sandbox view, and will instead be accessible via module-specific options in the dropdown on the [https://test.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:RestSandbox REST Sandbox] (i.e., [[{{#Special:RestSandbox}}]], available on all wiki projects).
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Scribunto|Scribunto]] extension provides different pieces of information about the wiki where the module is being used via the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Scribunto/Lua reference manual|mw.site]] library. Starting last week, the library also provides a [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Scribunto/Lua reference manual#mw.site.wikiId|way]] of accessing the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Wiki ID|wiki ID]] that can be used to facilitate cross-wiki module maintenance. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T146616]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.20|MediaWiki]]
'''In depth'''
* The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Coolest Tool Award|2026 Coolest Tool Award]] celebrating outstanding community tools, is now open for nominations! Nominate your favorite tool using the [https://wikimediafoundation.limesurvey.net/435684?lang=en nomination survey] form by 23 March 2026. For more information on privacy and data handling, please see the [[foundation:Special:MyLanguage/Legal:Coolest_Tool_Award_2026_Survey_Privacy_Statement|survey privacy statement]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/12|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W12"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 19:35, 16 March 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-13 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W13"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/13|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* Wikimedia site users can now log in without a password using passkeys. This is a secure method supported by fingerprint, facial recognition, or PIN. With this change, all users who opt for passwordless login will find it easier, faster, and more secure to log in to their accounts using any device. The new passkey login option currently appears as an autofill suggestion in the username field. An additional [[phab:T417120|"Log in with passkey" button]] will soon be available for users who have already registered a passkey. This update will improve security and user experience. The [[c:File:Passwordless_login_screencast.webm|screen recording]] demonstrates the passwordless login process step by step.
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/Server switch|All wikis will be read-only]] for a few minutes on Wednesday, 25 March 2026 at [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1774450800 15:00 UTC]. This is for the datacenter server switchover backup tests, [[wikitech:Deployments/Yearly calendar|which happen twice a year]]. During the switchover, all Wikimedia website traffic is shifted from one primary data center to the backup data center to test availability and prevent service disruption even in emergencies.
'''Updates for editors'''
* Wikimedia site users can now export their notifications older than 5 years using a [[toolforge:echo-chamber|new Toolforge tool]]. This will ensure that users retain their important notifications and avoid them being lost based on the planned change to delete notifications older than 5 years, as previously announced. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T383948]
* Wikipedia editors in Indonesian, Thai, Turkish, and Simple English now have access to Special:PersonalDashboard. This is an [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Moderator Tools/Dashboard|early version of an experience]] that introduces newer editors to patrolling workflows, making it easier for them to move from making edits to participating in more advanced moderation work on their project. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T402647]
* The [[Special:Block]] now has two minor interface changes. Administrators can now easily perform indefinite blocks through a dedicated radio button in the expiry section. Also, choosing an indefinite expiry provides a different set of common reasons to select from, which can be changed at: [[MediaWiki:Ipbreason-indef-dropdown]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T401823]
* Mobile editors [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Contributors/Account Creation Experiments#Logged-out|at several wikis]] can now see an improved logged-out edit warning, thanks to the recent updates from the Growth team. These changes released last week are part of ongoing efforts and tests to enhance [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Contributors/Account Creation Experiments|account creation experience on mobile]] and then increase participation. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T408484]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:36}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:36|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the bug that prevented mobile web users from seeing the block information when affected by multiple blocks has been fixed. They can now see messages of all the blocks currently affecting them when they access Wikipedia.
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Images built using Toolforge will soon get the upgraded buildpacks version, bringing support for newer language versions and other upstream improvements and fixes. If you use Toolforge Build Service, review the recent [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/cloud-announce@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/EMYTA32EV2V5SQ2JIEOD2CL66YFIZEKV/ cloud-announce email] and update your build configuration as necessary to ensure your tools are compatible. [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Help:Toolforge/Building_container_images&oldid=2392097#Buildpack_environment_upgrade_process][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T380127]
* The [https://api.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page API Portal] documentation wiki will shut down in June 2026. API keys created on the API Portal will continue to work normally. api.wikimedia.org endpoints will be deprecated gradually starting in July 2026. Documentation on the API Portal is moving to [[mw:Wikimedia APIs|mediawiki.org]]. Learn more on the [[wikitech:API Portal/Deprecation|project page]].
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.21|MediaWiki]]
'''In depth'''
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/WMDE Technical Wishes|WMDE Technical Wishes]] is considering improvements to [[m:WMDE Technical Wishes/References/VisualEditor automatic reference names|automatically generated reference names in VisualEditor]]. Please check out the [[m:WMDE Technical Wishes/References/VisualEditor automatic reference names#Proposed solutions|proposed solutions]] and participate in the [[m:Talk:WMDE Technical Wishes/References/VisualEditor automatic reference names#Request for comment|request for comment]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/13|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W13"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 16:51, 23 March 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-14 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W14"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/14|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* The Beta version of [[abstract:|Abstract Wikipedia]] a new Wikimedia project which is language-independent, was launched last week. The project allows communities to build Wikipedia articles in their native language, which can be readily accessed by other users in their own languages. The wiki is powered by instructions from Wikifunctions and also based on structured content from Wikidata. [[:f:Special:MyLanguage/Wikifunctions:Status updates/2026-03-26|Read more]].
'''Updates for editors'''
* The Growth team is running an A/B test to evaluate a clearer, more user-friendly message that promotes account creation on wikis. Currently when logged-out mobile users begin editing, they see a jarring warning message that can feel abrupt and discouraging. This also presents temporary account editing as the default rather than encouraging account creation. The test is running on ten Wikipedias, including Arabic, French, Spanish and German. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Contributors/Account Creation Experiments#2. Improve logged-out warning message (T415160)|Read more]].
* The Wikimedia Apps team is inviting feedback on [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Team/Future of Editing on the Mobile Apps|how editing should work on the Wikipedia mobile apps]]. The discussion focuses on improving how users access editing tools when they tap "Edit". This is part of a broader effort to convert readers who develop an interest in editing, to access a more user-friendly pathway to start contributing.
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:45}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:45|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, an issue where citation fetching from the large newspaper archive [https://www.newspapers.com Newspapers.com] was no longer working, due to a block in [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Citoid|Citoid]] requests, has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T419903]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.22|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/14|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W14"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 19:25, 30 March 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-15 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W15"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/15|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CampaignEvents|CampaignEvents extension]] now includes a new group goal-setting feature, enabling organizers to set and track event goals such as the number of articles created and participating contributors in real time. Similarly, participants can work toward shared targets and see their collective impact as the event unfolds. The feature is now available on all Wikimedia wikis. Learn more in [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CampaignEvents/Registration/Collaborative contributions#Goal setting|the documentation]].
* [[File:Maki-gift-15.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Wishlist item]] The new [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Watchlist labels|watchlist labels]] feature (announced in [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/07|Tech News 2026-07]]) is now available via VisualEditor, the source editor, and the 'watchstar' (or watch link, for skins that don't have a star icon). Previously it was only possible to assign labels via [[Special:EditWatchlist|EditWatchlist]]. In all three places it is a new field following the expiry field.
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:23}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:23|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the issue where talk pages on mobile with Parsoid are unusable after empty section headers, has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T419171]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/WMDE Technical Wishes/Sub-referencing|sub-referencing feature]], which lets editors add details to an existing reference without duplicating it, will be gradually rolled out to [[phab:T414094|more wikis]] later this year. Wikis using the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reference Tooltips|Reference Tooltips]] gadget are encouraged to update their version (typically at [[m:MediaWiki:Gadget-ReferenceTooltips.js|MediaWiki:Gadget-ReferenceTooltips.js]] as shown [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?diff=1344408362 here]) to ensure compatibility. Other reference-related gadgets may also be affected. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T416304]
* All Wikinews editions will be closed and switched to read-only mode on 4 May 2026. Content will remain accessible, but no new edits or articles can be added. This closure was approved by the Board of Trustees of the Wikimedia Foundation following extended discussions. [[m:Wikimedia Foundation Board noticeboard#Board of Trustees Approves Closure of Wikinews|Read more]].
* The [[:mw:Special:MyLanguage/API:Action API|Action API]] has had several formats for requested output. One of them, <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>format=php</nowiki></code></bdi>, is being removed soon. Please ensure your scripts or bots use the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/API:Data formats#Output|JSON format]]. This removal should affect very few scripts and bots. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T118538]
* The [[Special:NamespaceInfo|Special:NamespaceInfo]] page now includes namespace aliases. For example "WP" for the "Project" ("Wikipedia") namespace on the German Wikipedia. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T381455]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.23|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/15|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W15"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 16:19, 6 April 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-16 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W16"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/16|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* Experienced editors are invited to [https://b24e11a4f1.catalyst.wmcloud.org/wiki/Main_Page test] the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Article guidance|Article guidance]] feature, designed to help less-experienced editors create well-structured, policy-compliant Wikipedia articles. Testing instructions are [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Article guidance/Test feature guide|available]]. Also, after reviewing [https://b24e11a4f1.catalyst.wmcloud.org/wiki/Category:Pages_using_article_guidance the outlines], please provide feedback on the [[mw:Talk:Article guidance|project talk page]]. Based on your input, the feature will be refined and transferred to the pilot Wikipedias to translate and adapt. Check out [[c:File:Article Guidance workflow demo - April 2026.webm|the video]] explaining the feature.
'''Updates for editors'''
* On most wikis, all autoconfirmed users can now use [[Special:ChangeContentModel|Special:ChangeContentModel]] page to [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:ChangeContentModel|create new pages with custom content models]], such as mass message lists, making custom page formats more accessible. Check [[Special:ListGroupRights|Special:ListGroupRights]] for the status of your wiki. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T248294]
* The Growth team has launched an [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Contributors/Account_Creation_Experiments|account creation experiment]] to evaluate whether adding an account creation button to the mobile web header increases new account registrations and encourages more mobile users to contribute to the wikis. The experiment is currently live on Hindi, Indonesian, Bengali, Thai, and Hebrew Wikipedia, and targets 10% of logged-out mobile web users.
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:30}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:30|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, an issue where VisualEditor could get stuck loading on Windows devices with animations turned off, has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T382856]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Starting later this week, {{int:group-abusefilter}} who have the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror|{{int:codemirror-beta-feature-title}}]] beta feature enabled will have [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeMirror|CodeMirror]] instead of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeEditor|CodeEditor]] as the editor at [[Special:AbuseFilter|Special:AbuseFilter]]. This is part of the broader effort to make the user experience more consistent across all editors. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T399673][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T419332]
* Tools and bots that access the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Notifications/API|Notifications API]] (<bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>action=query&meta=notifications</nowiki></code></bdi>) will need to update their OAuth or BotPassword grants to also include access to private notifications. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T421991]
* Due to a library upgrade, listings on category pages may be displayed out of order starting on Monday, 20th April. A migration script will be run to correct this, and will take hours to days depending on the size of the wiki (up to a week for English Wikipedia). [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T422544]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.24|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/16|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W16"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 15:19, 13 April 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-17 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W17"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/17|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* After two years of development, [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror|{{int:codemirror-beta-feature-title}}]], also known as [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeMirror|CodeMirror 6]], is to be promoted out of beta on Tuesday, April 21. It brings better code and wikitext readability, reduction in typing errors, and other [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror|benefits]] to all users of the standard syntax highlighter. A huge thank you to volunteer [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/p/Bhsd/ Bhsd] who developed many of the new features, including [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror#Code folding|code folding]], [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror#Autocompletion|autocompletion]], and [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror#Linting|linting]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T259059]
* A major update to the Wikipedia app for iOS is now rolling out, redesigning the interface to align with Apple's latest "Liquid Glass" visual design. [https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wikipedia/id324715238 Download the latest version] and explore the update.
'''Updates for editors'''
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Readers/Reader Experience/WE3.3.4 Reading lists|Reading lists]] is a feature which allows readers to save articles to a list for reading later. This feature is now in beta on Arabic, French, Indonesian, Vietnamese, and Chinese Wikipedias and by default for all new accounts on all Wikipedias.
* An experiment which explores extending [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Readers/Reader Growth/Mobile page previews|Page Previews to mobile web]] will be launched in the week of April 20 on Arabic, English, French, Italian, Polish, and Vietnamese Wikipedias. Page Previews are pop-ups that display a thumbnail, lead paragraph, and a link to open the full article of a blue link, thereby improving content discovery. The feature is already available on desktop and in the apps. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/List of experiments in Product and Technology#Template|Read more about this experiment and others]].
* On several wikis, logged-in editors who haven't [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Email confirmation|confirmed their email addresses]] can now see a banner encouraging them to do so. Having the email address confirmed allows a user to restore access to the account if they lose it. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Product Safety and Integrity/Account Security#Encouraging users to confirm their email addresses|Learn more]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T421366]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:15}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:15|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, an issue where editing very large wiki pages in the 2017 wikitext editor caused slow loading, preview and scrolling lag, and performance issues when selecting, cutting, or pasting content, has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T184857]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* As part of the promotion of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror|CodeMirror]] from a beta feature, all users will use [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeMirror|CodeMirror]] instead of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeEditor|CodeEditor]] for syntax highlighting when editing JavaScript, CSS, JSON, Vue and Lua content pages. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T419332]
* The <code>mirrors.wikimedia.org</code> service for Debian and Ubuntu users will sunset and stop working on May 15. The resources for the service will be replaced with new and better options. Some users may need to switch to a different server which should take about a minute. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/LJYRIS4WB66HIRCAO4GIDTXCMDVZRBMA/ You can read more]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T416707]
* The <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>image</nowiki></code></bdi> and <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>oldimage</nowiki></code></bdi> table will be removed from [[wikitech:Help:Wiki Replicas|wikireplicas]]. If your tools or queries access <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>image</nowiki></code></bdi> or <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>oldimage</nowiki></code></bdi> directly, please update them to use the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>file</nowiki></code></bdi> and <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>filerevision</nowiki></code></bdi> table before 28 May. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T28741]
* Following the recent implementation of global API rate limits on unidentified traffic, the Wikimedia Foundation will continue efforts to ensure [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/MediaWiki Product Insights/Responsible Reuse|fair use of infrastructure]] by applying global limits to identified API traffic beginning the last week of April. These limits are intentionally set as high as possible to minimise impact on the community. Bots running in Toolforge/WMCS or with the bot user right on any wiki should not be affected for now. However, all developers are advised to follow updated best practices. For more information, see [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia APIs/Rate limits|Wikimedia APIs/Rate limits]] and [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia APIs/Rate limits/FAQ|Frequently Asked Questions]].
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Attribution API|Attribution API]] is now available as a [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia APIs/Stability policy|beta]]. The API fetches information for crediting Wikimedia articles and media files wherever they are used. Reference documentation is available through the REST Sandbox special page available on all Wikimedia wikis (such as the [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?api=attribution.v0-beta&title=Special%3ARestSandbox REST sandbox on English Wikipedia]). Share your feedback on the [[mw:Talk:Attribution API|project talk page]].
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/17|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W17"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 15:00, 20 April 2026 (UTC)
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7xqfktsx9ykvluibp9t6eiaes9du1w6
Complex analysis in plain view
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2026-04-20T14:00:17Z
Young1lim
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/* Geometric Series Examples */
2805643
wikitext
text/x-wiki
Many of the functions that arise naturally in mathematics and real world applications can be extended to and regarded as complex functions, meaning the input, as well as the output, can be complex numbers <math>x+iy</math>, where <math>i=\sqrt{-1}</math>, in such a way that it is a more natural object to study. '''Complex analysis''', which used to be known as '''function theory''' or '''theory of functions of a single complex variable''', is a sub-field of analysis that studies such functions (more specifically, '''holomorphic''' functions) on the complex plane, or part (domain) or extension (Riemann surface) thereof. It notably has great importance in number theory, e.g. the [[Riemann zeta function]] (for the distribution of primes) and other <math>L</math>-functions, modular forms, elliptic functions, etc. <blockquote>The shortest path between two truths in the real domain passes through the complex domain. — [[wikipedia:Jacques_Hadamard|Jacques Hadamard]]</blockquote>In a certain sense, the essence of complex functions is captured by the principle of [[analytic continuation]].{{mathematics}}
==''' Complex Functions '''==
* Complex Functions ([[Media:CAnal.1.A.CFunction.20140222.Basic.pdf|1.A.pdf]], [[Media:CAnal.1.B.CFunction.20140111.Octave.pdf|1.B.pdf]], [[Media:CAnal.1.C.CFunction.20140111.Extend.pdf|1.C.pdf]])
* Complex Exponential and Logarithm ([[Media:CAnal.5.A.CLog.20131017.pdf|5.A.pdf]], [[Media:CAnal.5.A.Octave.pdf|5.B.pdf]])
* Complex Trigonometric and Hyperbolic ([[Media:CAnal.7.A.CTrigHyper..pdf|7.A.pdf]], [[Media:CAnal.7.A.Octave..pdf|7.B.pdf]])
'''Complex Function Note'''
: 1. Exp and Log Function Note ([[Media:ComplexExp.29160721.pdf|H1.pdf]])
: 2. Trig and TrigH Function Note ([[Media:CAnal.Trig-H.29160901.pdf|H1.pdf]])
: 3. Inverse Trig and TrigH Functions Note ([[Media:CAnal.Hyper.29160829.pdf|H1.pdf]])
==''' Complex Integrals '''==
* Complex Integrals ([[Media:CAnal.2.A.CIntegral.20140224.Basic.pdf|2.A.pdf]], [[Media:CAnal.2.B.CIntegral.20140117.Octave.pdf|2.B.pdf]], [[Media:CAnal.2.C.CIntegral.20140117.Extend.pdf|2.C.pdf]])
==''' Complex Series '''==
* Complex Series ([[Media:CPX.Series.20150226.2.Basic.pdf|3.A.pdf]], [[Media:CAnal.3.B.CSeries.20140121.Octave.pdf|3.B.pdf]], [[Media:CAnal.3.C.CSeries.20140303.Extend.pdf|3.C.pdf]])
==''' Residue Integrals '''==
* Residue Integrals ([[Media:CAnal.4.A.Residue.20140227.Basic.pdf|4.A.pdf]], [[Media:CAnal.4.B.pdf|4.B.pdf]], [[Media:CAnal.4.C.Residue.20140423.Extend.pdf|4.C.pdf]])
==='''Residue Integrals Note'''===
* Laurent Series with the Residue Theorem Note ([[Media:Laurent.1.Residue.20170713.pdf|H1.pdf]])
* Laurent Series with Applications Note ([[Media:Laurent.2.Applications.20170327.pdf|H1.pdf]])
* Laurent Series and the z-Transform Note ([[Media:Laurent.3.z-Trans.20170831.pdf|H1.pdf]])
* Laurent Series as a Geometric Series Note ([[Media:Laurent.4.GSeries.20170802.pdf|H1.pdf]])
=== Laurent Series and the z-Transform Example Note ===
* Overview ([[Media:Laurent.4.z-Example.20170926.pdf|H1.pdf]])
====Geometric Series Examples====
* Causality ([[Media:Laurent.5.Causality.1.A.20191026n.pdf|A.pdf]], [[Media:Laurent.5.Causality.1.B.20191026.pdf|B.pdf]])
* Time Shift ([[Media:Laurent.5.TimeShift.2.A.20191028.pdf|A.pdf]], [[Media:Laurent.5.TimeShift.2.B.20191029.pdf|B.pdf]])
* Reciprocity ([[Media:Laurent.5.Reciprocity.3A.20191030.pdf|A.pdf]], [[Media:Laurent.5.Reciprocity.3B.20191031.pdf|B.pdf]])
* Combinations ([[Media:Laurent.5.Combination.4A.20200702.pdf|A.pdf]], [[Media:Laurent.5.Combination.4B.20201002.pdf|B.pdf]])
* Properties ([[Media:Laurent.5.Property.5A.20220105.pdf|A.pdf]], [[Media:Laurent.5.Property.5B.20220126.pdf|B.pdf]])
* Permutations ([[Media:Laurent.6.Permutation.6A.20230711.pdf|A.pdf]], [[Media:Laurent.5.Permutation.6B.20251225.pdf|B.pdf]], [[Media:Laurent.5.Permutation.6C.20260420.pdf|C.pdf]], [[Media:Laurent.5.Permutation.6C.20240528.pdf|D.pdf]])
* Applications ([[Media:Laurent.5.Application.6B.20220723.pdf|A.pdf]])
* Double Pole Case
:- Examples ([[Media:Laurent.5.DPoleEx.7A.20220722.pdf|A.pdf]], [[Media:Laurent.5.DPoleEx.7B.20220720.pdf|B.pdf]])
:- Properties ([[Media:Laurent.5.DPoleProp.5A.20190226.pdf|A.pdf]], [[Media:Laurent.5.DPoleProp.5B.20190228.pdf|B.pdf]])
====The Case Examples====
* Example Overview : ([[Media:Laurent.4.Example.0.A.20171208.pdf|0A.pdf]], [[Media:Laurent.6.CaseExample.0.B.20180205.pdf|0B.pdf]])
* Example Case 1 : ([[Media:Laurent.4.Example.1.A.20171107.pdf|1A.pdf]], [[Media:Laurent.4.Example.1.B.20171227.pdf|1B.pdf]])
* Example Case 2 : ([[Media:Laurent.4.Example.2.A.20171107.pdf|2A.pdf]], [[Media:Laurent.4.Example.2.B.20171227.pdf|2B.pdf]])
* Example Case 3 : ([[Media:Laurent.4.Example.3.A.20171017.pdf|3A.pdf]], [[Media:Laurent.4.Example.3.B.20171226.pdf|3B.pdf]])
* Example Case 4 : ([[Media:Laurent.4.Example.4.A.20171017.pdf|4A.pdf]], [[Media:Laurent.4.Example.4.B.20171228.pdf|4B.pdf]])
* Example Summary : ([[Media:Laurent.4.Example.5.A.20171212.pdf|5A.pdf]], [[Media:Laurent.4.Example.5.B.20171230.pdf|5B.pdf]])
==''' Conformal Mapping '''==
* Conformal Mapping ([[Media:CAnal.6.A.Conformal.20131224.pdf|6.A.pdf]], [[Media:CAnal.6.A.Octave..pdf|6.B.pdf]])
go to [ [[Electrical_%26_Computer_Engineering_Studies]] ]
[[Category:Complex analysis]]
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User talk:Ozzie10aaaa
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*[[https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=User_talk:Ozzie10aaaa&diff=2069290&oldid=2067113|Dyslexia Dyslexia article-miscellaneous discussion]]<br>
*[[https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=User_talk:Ozzie10aaaa&diff=2072757&oldid=2069418|Congratulations! Congratulations! Dyslexia]]}}
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=={{spaces|14|type}}.............'''''Journal (medicine)'''''[https://doaj.org/ *]// '''[https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/wijoumed #]PEER REVIEWER[https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/WikiJournal_of_Medicine/Peer_reviewers_list #][https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Talk:WikiJournal_of_Medicine/Peer_reviewers +]''''' //[[File:WikiJournal of Medicine logo.svg|40 px|]][https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Wikijournal_of_Medicine WikiJournal of Medicine]''..............==
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====='''''{{resize|180%|suggest}}'''''=====
1.<u>[https://publicationethics.org/files/Ethical_Guidelines_For_Peer_Reviewers_2.pdf COPE/Guidance for peer reviewers] leaving this should there be need for it[https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Talk:Wikiversity_Journal_of_Medicine/Peer_reviewers] [https://doaj.org/](would be better if quarter yearly, instead of semi- annual)[https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Wikiversity_Journal_of_Medicine/Past_issues]</u>--
[[User:Ozzie10aaaa|Ozzie10aaaa]] ([[User talk:Ozzie10aaaa|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Ozzie10aaaa|contribs]]) 19:58, 7 August 2016 (UTC)
2.[[User:Mikael Häggström|Mikael Häggström]] knowing ''reviewers'' cant author papers, however below have put together a suggestion that you may accept/decline (or consider for later) for anyone who might be interested, hoping this is helpful for the journal, thank you--[[User:Ozzie10aaaa|Ozzie10aaaa]] ([[User talk:Ozzie10aaaa|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Ozzie10aaaa|contribs]]) 15:03, 8 August 2016 (UTC)
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{{collapse top|''EVD''[[File:Ebola virus particles.jpg|30 px]]|bg=#F0F8FF}}
*<mark>'''suggestion'''</mark> among possible topics for future ''issues'',could be a ''literature review'' which looks at 1.pathophysiological mechanism aspects of the Ebola virus disease that might make it '''''susceptible''''' to certain treatments, and 2. the '''''efficacy''''' of ZMapp to treat the Ebola virus disease based on current secondary (and other sources if needed) references.
*'''possible sources'''
*''sample'' reference for question 1
**{{cite journal|last1=Falasca|first1=L|last2=Agrati|first2=C|last3=Petrosillo|first3=N|last4=Di Caro|first4=A|last5=Capobianchi|first5=M R|last6=Ippolito|first6=G|last7=Piacentini|first7=M|title=Molecular mechanisms of Ebola virus pathogenesis: focus on cell death|journal=Cell Death and Differentiation|date=1 August 2015|volume=22|issue=8|pages=1250–1259|doi=10.1038/cdd.2015.67|url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4495366/|accessdate=8 August 2016|issn=1350-9047}}
**{{cite journal|last1=Lee|first1=Jeffrey E|last2=Saphire|first2=Erica Ollmann|title=Ebolavirus glycoprotein structure and mechanism of entry|journal=Future virology|date=1 January 2009|volume=4|issue=6|pages=621–635|doi=10.2217/fvl.09.56|url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2829775/|accessdate=8 August 2016|issn=1746-0794}}
**{{cite journal|last1=Lai|first1=Kang Yiu|last2=Ng|first2=Wing Yiu George|last3=Cheng|first3=Fan Fanny|title=Human Ebola virus infection in West Africa: a review of available therapeutic agents that target different steps of the life cycle of Ebola virus|journal=Infectious Diseases of Poverty|date=28 November 2014|volume=3|doi=10.1186/2049-9957-3-43|url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4334593/|accessdate=8 August 2016|issn=2049-9957}}
**{{cite journal|last1=Sullivan|first1=Nancy|last2=Yang|first2=Zhi-Yong|last3=Nabel|first3=Gary J.|title=Ebola Virus Pathogenesis: Implications for Vaccines and Therapies|journal=Journal of Virology|date=15 September 2003|volume=77|issue=18|pages=9733–9737|doi=10.1128/JVI.77.18.9733-9737.2003|url=http://jvi.asm.org/content/77/18/9733.full|accessdate=8 August 2016|language=en|issn=0022-538X}}
**{{cite journal|last1=Mahanty|first1=Siddhartha|last2=Bray|first2=Mike|title=Pathogenesis of filoviral haemorrhagic fevers|journal=The Lancet Infectious Diseases|date=August 2004|volume=4|issue=8|pages=487–498|doi=10.1016/S1473-3099(04)01103-X|url=http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(04)01103-X/fulltext|accessdate=8 August 2016}}
*''sample'' references for question 2
**{{cite journal|last1=Davidson|first1=Edgar|last2=Bryan|first2=Christopher|last3=Fong|first3=Rachel H.|last4=Barnes|first4=Trevor|last5=Pfaff|first5=Jennifer M.|last6=Mabila|first6=Manu|last7=Rucker|first7=Joseph B.|last8=Doranz|first8=Benjamin J.|title=Mechanism of Binding to Ebola Virus Glycoprotein by the ZMapp, ZMAb, and MB-003 Cocktail Antibodies|journal=Journal of Virology|date=26 August 2015|volume=89|issue=21|pages=10982–10992|doi=10.1128/JVI.01490-15|url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4621129/|accessdate=8 August 2016|issn=0022-538X}}
**{{cite journal|last1=Madelain|first1=Vincent|last2=Nguyen|first2=Thi Huyen Tram|last3=Olivo|first3=Anaelle|last4=Lamballerie|first4=Xavier de|last5=Guedj|first5=Jérémie|last6=Taburet|first6=Anne-Marie|last7=Mentré|first7=France|title=Ebola Virus Infection: Review of the Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Properties of Drugs Considered for Testing in Human Efficacy Trials|journal=Clinical Pharmacokinetics|date=21 January 2016|volume=55|issue=8|pages=907–923|doi=10.1007/s40262-015-0364-1|url=http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs40262-015-0364-1|accessdate=8 August 2016|language=en|issn=0312-5963}}
**{{cite journal|last1=Beeching|first1=Nicholas J.|last2=Fenech|first2=Manuel|last3=Houlihan|first3=Catherine F.|title=Ebola virus disease|journal=BMJ|date=10 December 2014|volume=349|pages=g7348|doi=10.1136/bmj.g7348|url=http://www.bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g7348|accessdate=8 August 2016|language=en|issn=1756-1833}}
**{{cite journal|last1=Tran|first1=Erin E. H.|last2=Nelson|first2=Elizabeth A.|last3=Bonagiri|first3=Pranay|last4=Simmons|first4=James A.|last5=Shoemaker|first5=Charles J.|last6=Schmaljohn|first6=Connie S.|last7=Kobinger|first7=Gary P.|last8=Zeitlin|first8=Larry|last9=Subramaniam|first9=Sriram|last10=White|first10=Judith M.|title=Mapping of Ebolavirus Neutralization by Monoclonal Antibodies in the ZMapp Cocktail Using Cryo-Electron Tomography and Studies of Cellular Entry|journal=Journal of Virology|date=8 June 2016|pages=JVI.00406–16|doi=10.1128/JVI.00406-16|url=http://jvi.asm.org/content/early/2016/06/02/JVI.00406-16.long|accessdate=8 August 2016|language=en|issn=0022-538X}}
**{{cite journal|last1=Qiu|first1=Xiangguo|last2=Wong|first2=Gary|last3=Audet|first3=Jonathan|last4=Bello|first4=Alexander|last5=Fernando|first5=Lisa|last6=Alimonti|first6=Judie B.|last7=Fausther-Bovendo|first7=Hugues|last8=Wei|first8=Haiyan|last9=Aviles|first9=Jenna|last10=Hiatt|first10=Ernie|last11=Johnson|first11=Ashley|last12=Morton|first12=Josh|last13=Swope|first13=Kelsi|last14=Bohorov|first14=Ognian|last15=Bohorova|first15=Natasha|last16=Goodman|first16=Charles|last17=Kim|first17=Do|last18=Pauly|first18=Michael H.|last19=Velasco|first19=Jesus|last20=Pettitt|first20=James|last21=Olinger|first21=Gene G.|last22=Whaley|first22=Kevin|last23=Xu|first23=Bianli|last24=Strong|first24=James E.|last25=Zeitlin|first25=Larry|last26=Kobinger|first26=Gary P.|title=Reversion of advanced Ebola virus disease in nonhuman primates with ZMapp|journal=Nature|date=29 August 2014|volume=advance online publication|doi=10.1038/nature13777|url=http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vnfv/ncurrent/full/nature13777.html|language=en|issn=1476-4687}}
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*thank you--[[User:Ozzie10aaaa|Ozzie10aaaa]] ([[User talk:Ozzie10aaaa|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Ozzie10aaaa|contribs]]) 13:35, 8 August 2016 (UTC)
Thanks for the suggestions! It is inadvisable (but not impossible) to submit a work as a participant of the journal (see [[Wikiversity Journal of Medicine/Publishing#participants in the journal|Publishing#Participants in the journal]]). You could also try contacting and inviting people who you may think are interested in authoring such a work. [[User:Mikael Häggström|Mikael Häggström]] ([[User talk:Mikael Häggström|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Mikael Häggström|contribs]]) 15:41, 8 August 2016 (UTC)
:thank you({{font color|red|update}})
*perhaps another possibility would be to submit[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_African_Ebola_virus_epidemic '''''West African Ebola virus epidemic''''']which is '''GA'''/
*additionally another GA article [though unrelated[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyslexia]] is also done...--[[User:Ozzie10aaaa|Ozzie10aaaa]] ([[User talk:Ozzie10aaaa|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Ozzie10aaaa|contribs]]) 15:53, 8 August 2016 (UTC)
:::::::::::[[Talk:WikiJournal of Medicine/2016#Publishing Wikipedia articles]]
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=====new name/user group status=====
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*{{Done}}[https://twitter.com/Wijoumed '''WikiJournal of Medicine''' !]
*{{partly done}} ([https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WikiJournal <big>'''{{font color|orange|This is a proposal for a new Wikimedia sister project}}'''</big><br>{{spaces|26|type}}<big>'''{{font color|orange|A site where authors can write their works directly online. The works then undergo independent scholarly peer review before {{spaces|22|type}}officially published in the journal.}}'''</big><br>{{spaces|26|type}}<big>'''{{font color|orange|It is a way of bridging the Wikipedia–academia gap....}}'''</big>][[File:WikiJournal logo (flat blue yellow).svg|right|50px]])('''or Thematic''')
:*[https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:WikiJournal_User_Group&diff=1718470&oldid=1718192 discussion]
:*[https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:WikiJournal_User_Group&diff=prev&oldid=1815676 other option]([https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_thematic_organizations#existing thematic])[https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:WikiJournal_User_Group&diff=prev&oldid=1891784 sent]{{resize|50%|I hope edits/history is moved as well?}}
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===== Credentials for peer reviewing an article on genetics =====
Hi again!
WikiJournal of Medicine now has a submission about genetics. If you'd be interested in peer reviewing it, I first want you to provide some credentials of your expertise in molecular biology, such as a link to a reliable webpage, or copies of certification documents. You may email it to {{nospam|editor.in.chief|wijoumed.org}}, and I will then keep it confidential.
Best regards,
[[User:Mikael Häggström|Mikael Häggström]] ([[User talk:Mikael Häggström|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Mikael Häggström|contribs]]) 21:02, 16 November 2016 (UTC)
:[[User:Mikael Häggström|Mikael Häggström]] per [https://tools.wmflabs.org/xtools-ec/?user=Ozzie10aaaa&project=en.wikipedia.org] this month has gone ~1600 edits to ~380 (RL work increased/time of year[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_and_holiday_season]...as you know I've been signed on since ''7 August''[https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:WikiJournal_of_Medicine/Peer_reviewers&diff=prev&oldid=1587236])...im very grateful for the opportunity to do a proper review, due to the aforementioned reason, I will have to ''pass''. I would guess the last week of December things will slow down again, and I hope I can be afforded another opportunity. Thank you again--[[User:Ozzie10aaaa|Ozzie10aaaa]] ([[User talk:Ozzie10aaaa|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Ozzie10aaaa|contribs]]) 01:50, 17 November 2016 (UTC)
::Very well. I will let you know if there is a fitting submission next year then. [[User:Mikael Häggström|Mikael Häggström]] ([[User talk:Mikael Häggström|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Mikael Häggström|contribs]]) 08:30, 17 November 2016 (UTC)
*''postscript'' am interested in 2-4 reviews per yr.(if possible)
{{collapse top|{{nay}} or {{aye}}}}
{{Done/See also}}
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:::::::::::::::::::[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiJournal_article_nominations '''''{{resize|200%|Nominations}}''''']
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=='''SUBMISSIONS'''==
:::::::::::::::::::::::[https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/WikiJournal_of_Medicine/Volume_11_Issue_1 '''{{font color|black|Current 2024 ISSUE}}''']
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=== {{resize|125%|1}} '''Table of pediatric medical conditions and findings named after foods'''/([https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/WikiJournal_of_Medicine/Table_of_pediatric_medical_conditions_and_findings_named_after_foods {{font color|red|''response''}}:{{Tick}} '''{{font color|red|acknowledged}}'''])===
[[File:Table of pediatric medical conditions and findings named after foods.jpg|left|300px]]
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=== {{resize|125%|2}} '''Article on Rotavirus'''/({{font color|red|''response''}}: {{Not sure}} )===
Hi!
We now have [[Draft:WikiJournal of Medicine/Rotavirus|a submission on Rotavirus]]. Could you peer review this one?
Best regards,
[[User:Mikael Häggström|Mikael Häggström]] ([[User talk:Mikael Häggström|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Mikael Häggström|contribs]]) 19:19, 12 April 2017 (UTC)
:will look at article and consider(will inform you should I have the time/email you needed ''Peer reviewer cred.'')thank you--[[User:Ozzie10aaaa|Ozzie10aaaa]] ([[User talk:Ozzie10aaaa|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Ozzie10aaaa|contribs]]) 19:41, 12 April 2017 (UTC)
::Thanks for your consideration! We now have one peer review, and we'd like the second one to be from someone outside the Wikiversity project, so you can help by being a [[WikiJournal_of_Medicine/Editors#Coordinator|peer review coordinator]] for this purpose when you have the time. [[User:Mikael Häggström|Mikael Häggström]] ([[User talk:Mikael Häggström|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Mikael Häggström|contribs]]) 18:10, 16 April 2017 (UTC)
{{od}}
(see '''''<u>new name</u>'' subsection''')
:::^
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[https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/WikiJournal_User_Group/Publishing#Author_guidelines '''Criteria for inclusion''']
=== {{resize|125%|3}} '''Article on Pitfalls in Global Response to COVID-19 and its Impact on Global Health'''/( {{font color|red|''response''}}{{Done}})===
*[https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:WikiJournal_Preprints/Pitfalls_in_Global_Response_to_COVID-19_and_its_Impact_on_Global_Health&diff=2188364&oldid=2186133 commented]..........(editorial comments) Aug/2020
[[File:Pitfalls in Global Response to COVID-19 and its Impact on Global Health.jpg|350px|left]]
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=== {{resize|125%|4}}===
([https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:WikiJournal_User_Group&diff=prev&oldid=2598702 should ''limited'' additional assistance be needed])Rwatson1955, OhanaUnited[https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=User:OhanaUnited&diff=prev&oldid=2805645 (editor-in-chief Science)]
*[https://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Proposal:_WikiJournal_as_a_sister_project&diff=prev&oldid=27861881 update]
::::'''{{resize|200%|NEXT review}}'''
[[File:Far Echoes (1966) - DPLA - 0c60551520a08275e4efe05cb816fca7 (page 79).jpg|left|350px]]
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[https://www.scimagojr.com/journalrank.php?category=2701 {{font color|orange|SCHimago}}][https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Category:WikiJournal_of_Medicine {{font color|red|category}}][https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WikiJournal_User_Group '''''user group'''''][https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiJournal_article_nominations#Nominations ''nom'']
[https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/WikiJournal_of_Medicine/Ethics_statement#Disclosure_and_Conflict_of_Interest coi]
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::preferences>appearance>[https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-rendering ''modern'']
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Talk:WikiJournal of Humanities/Editors
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OhanaUnited
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/* Editorial board application of Patryk P. Tomaszewski */ Reply
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<noinclude>
{{WikiJournal editorial application top
|archive box = {{Archive box|[[/Archive 2017]]
<br>[[/Archive 2018]]
<br>[[/Archive 2019]]
<br>[[/Archive 2020]]
<br>[[/Archive 2022]]
<br>[[/Archive 2023]]
}}
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==Editorial board application of Hernan Perez Molano==
{{WikiJournal editor application submitted
| position =Editorial board
| name =Hernan Perez Molano
| qualifications =PHD in Political science, Master in Ethnomusicology
| link =https://es.linkedin.com/in/hernan-p%C3%A9rez-molano-918252a1
| areas_of_expertise =Peacebuilding, social innovation, political science, ethnomusicology
| professional_experience =Doctor of Political Science, Administration, and International Relations, from the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain), trained in ethnographic, sociological, and anthropological techniques (Master's in Musicology, specializing in Ethnomusicology) at the Sorbonne University (France). His research, entitled "Obstacles and Resistances in the Construction of Alternative Peace: Comparative Ethnographies of the Reintegration of Former Combatants in Colinas, Guaviare, and Icononzo, Tolima," describes the construction of peace at the local level from the perspective of local social innovation ecosystems, based on a multi-sited ethnography (2019-2023).
:Coordinator of the Social Innovation Program (2015-2020) at the Research and Extension Office of the National University of Colombia, Bogotá campus. He has experience in supporting academia in formulating and implementing social innovation projects, utilizing participatory methodologies, design thinking, and fostering creative capacity in the context of community youth processes, as well as in communication and culture for peacebuilding. He was a former member of the formulating team, facilitator, and coordinator of the Innovation Laboratory for Peace (Trust for the Americas - National University of Colombia), and the Spaces of Re-cognition for Peace project of the Academic Vice-Rectory of the National University of Colombia.
| publishing_experience =
| open_experience =Official for the Education program of Wikimedia Colombia
| policy_confirm =I confirm that I will act in accordance with the policies of the WikiJournal of Humanities. [[User:HerPerezM|HerPerezM]] ([[User talk:HerPerezM|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/HerPerezM|contribs]]) 21:42, 20 July 2023 (UTC)
}}
* I approached him at EduWiki Conference to discuss WikiJournal and potential collaboration. I fully support his application to join the editorial board. [[User:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">OhanaUnited</span></b>]][[User talk:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 03:47, 21 July 2023 (UTC)
* [[File:Symbol support vote.svg|14px]]I support this application for editor. [[User:Smvital|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">Smvital</span></b>]][[User talk:Smvital|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 10:46, 1 August 2023 (UTC)
* '''support''' - It's also a support from me. Very useful professional bacckground, and experience with Wikimedia Colombia's educaction programme is definitely a bonus. [[User:Evolution and evolvability|T.Shafee(Evo﹠Evo)]]<sup>[[User talk:Evolution and evolvability|talk]]</sup> 10:45, 28 August 2023 (UTC)
* I support this application. I agree; his area of study and experience will make him very suitable. [[User:Fransplace|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">Fransplace</span></b>]][[User talk:Fransplace|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 20:01, 10 September 2023 (UTC)
*'''Support''', of course. Hopefully, you'll have more time than I to help (I sadly overestimated my amount of time for this year...). --[[User:Piotrus|Piotrus]] ([[User talk:Piotrus|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Piotrus|contribs]]) 08:05, 13 September 2023 (UTC)
* '''support''' [[User:Rwatson1955|Rwatson1955]] ([[User talk:Rwatson1955|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Rwatson1955|contribs]]) 12:18, 13 September 2023 (UTC)
* '''support''' - a very welcome addition to the WikiJ Hum Team --[[User:Mstefan|Mstefan]] ([[User talk:Mstefan|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Mstefan|contribs]]) 12:48, 13 September 2023 (UTC)
'''Result: Accepted into the editorial board.'''
: [[WikiJournal User Group/Editorial guidelines#Adding editorial board members|Next steps]] (add <code>DONE</code> or <code><nowiki>{{Done}}</nowiki></code> after someone has performed the task):
# [[{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_board_member|Send a welcome message and confirm their preferred email address]] (usually in their provided website link, else via [[Special:EmailUser]])
{{clickable button 2|Onboarding email template|url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_board_member}}
# Copy their information over to [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board page]] using the {{tlx|WikiJournal editor summary}} template
# Add their name and start data to the [d:{{WJQboard|default=Q75674277}} relevant editorial board] on wikidata
# Direct-add them to the {{WJX}}board mailing list ([https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!managemembers/{{WJX}}board/add via this link]) which will grant them access to the private page only visible to board members
# Welcome them at the {{#if:|wjm|WJM}}board mailing list so that they are informed
# Finally, move the application to [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editors/Archive_{{CURRENTYEAR}}|this year's archive page]]
[[User:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">OhanaUnited</span></b>]][[User talk:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 06:31, 6 November 2023 (UTC)
==Editorial board application of Lihao Gan==
{{WikiJournal editor application submitted
| position =Editorial board
| name =Lihao Gan
| qualifications =PHD.Professor
| link =https://faculty.ecnu.edu.cn/_s11/glh_en/main.psp
| areas_of_expertise =Epistemology,Communication Studies,Media Discourse Analysis,Rhetoric
| professional_experience =Gan Lihao (born October 1977) is a professor and doctoral supervisor at East China Normal University. He is a distinguished talent of the Pujiang Talent Program in Shanghai. He has also served as a visiting scholar in the Department of Linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley. Additionally, he holds the position of Deputy Director at the National Discourse Ecology Research Center and serves as an executive member of the Chinese Rhetoric Society, a council member of the Shanghai Language Society, and a committee member of the Audiovisual Communication branch of the Chinese Association for the History of Journalism and Communication.
| publishing_experience =Gan Lihao is known for his pioneering contributions to the fields of "Life Rhetoric" and "Behavioral Dramatism Theory." His research primarily revolves around human communication discourse, aiming to promote individual growth, harmonious family dynamics, intercommunication among domestic communities, and international dialogues within the context of the human community's shared destiny and peaceful development. He focuses on three main research directions: family education discourse analysis based on empathetic rhetoric, discourse research on national governance rooted in speech acts, and global knowledge discourse analysis centered around digital communities.
Gan Lihao has authored several significant works, including "Contrastive Structures Under the Influence of Spatial Dynamics," "Communication Rhetoric: Theory, Methods, and Case Studies," "Reshaping China's National Image and Wikipedia Knowledge Discourse Research," and "Political Science on Wikipedia" (in progress).
| open_experience =wikipedia editor,wikipedia researcher
| policy_confirm =I confirm that I will act in accordance with the policies of the WikiJournal of Humanities. [[User:Ganlihao|Ganlihao]] ([[User talk:Ganlihao|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Ganlihao|contribs]]) 06:30, 4 September 2023 (UTC)
}}
* This editor approached us at the Wikimania Singapore event and we discussed how we need experts in humanities to contribute and assist with reviewing the backlogged submissions. He expressed an interest after seeing our poster at Wikimania. He led a team of researchers from China to investigate and publish research articles about Wikipedia. As such, his professional, publishing and open experiences are quite extensive. Since he primarily publishes in Chinese language, I suggested that he initially apply for associate editor position to familiarize himself with publishing and communicating in English to gain confidence in this area. I fully {{support}} his application. [[User:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">OhanaUnited</span></b>]][[User talk:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 03:52, 7 September 2023 (UTC)
* I support this application and agree an associate editor position will be best to begin with. [[User:Fransplace|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">Fransplace</span></b>]][[User talk:Fransplace|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 20:05, 10 September 2023 (UTC)
*'''Support''', of course. Hopefully, you'll have more time than I to help (I sadly overestimated my amount of time for this year...). --[[User:Piotrus|Piotrus]] ([[User talk:Piotrus|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Piotrus|contribs]]) 08:06, 13 September 2023 (UTC)
* '''support''' [[User:Rwatson1955|Rwatson1955]] ([[User talk:Rwatson1955|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Rwatson1955|contribs]]) 12:19, 13 September 2023 (UTC)
* '''support''' Gan Lihao coming on as an associate editor, but we should also decide on a clear idea of what the process would be (timeline/criteria) to move them (or any other associate editor in a similar situation) to full editor --[[User:Mstefan|Mstefan]] ([[User talk:Mstefan|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Mstefan|contribs]]) 12:52, 13 September 2023 (UTC)
*:Good point. I think we will "cross that bridge" and evaluate once we see the [[WikiJournal of Humanities/Potential upcoming articles|backlog submissions]] getting chipped away by the newly recruited editors and associate editor. [[User:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">OhanaUnited</span></b>]][[User talk:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 03:11, 18 September 2023 (UTC)
'''Result: Accepted into the editorial board.'''
: [[WikiJournal User Group/Editorial guidelines#Adding editorial board members|Next steps]] (add <code>DONE</code> or <code><nowiki>{{Done}}</nowiki></code> after someone has performed the task):
# [[{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_board_member|Send a welcome message and confirm their preferred email address]] (usually in their provided website link, else via [[Special:EmailUser]])
{{clickable button 2|Onboarding email template|url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_board_member}}
# Copy their information over to [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board page]] using the {{tlx|WikiJournal editor summary}} template
# Add their name and start data to the [d:{{WJQboard|default=Q75674277}} relevant editorial board] on wikidata
# Direct-add them to the {{WJX}}board mailing list ([https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!managemembers/{{WJX}}board/add via this link]) which will grant them access to the private page only visible to board members
# Welcome them at the {{#if:|wjm|WJM}}board mailing list so that they are informed
# Finally, move the application to [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editors/Archive_{{CURRENTYEAR}}|this year's archive page]]
[[User:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">OhanaUnited</span></b>]][[User talk:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 06:31, 6 November 2023 (UTC)
==Editorial board application of Laura G. Campo==
{{WikiJournal editor application submitted
| position =Editorial board
| name =Laura G. Campo
| qualifications =Bachelor Degree in Literature, Especialized in Edition
| link =https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-giselle-campo-sepulveda/
| areas_of_expertise =Literature, Education, Humanities
| professional_experience =Literary analyst specializing in text editing. My career has been focused on the editing and proofreading of technical and literary documents. I also have experience accompanying research projects on journalism, literature, art and cultural articles.
| publishing_experience =Journal editorial coordinator, Editorial assistant, Content creator,Copyeditor, Proofreader.
| open_experience =Currently I coordinate the editorial production of the Universidad Pedagogica Nacional's (Colombia) scientistic journals
| policy_confirm =I confirm that I will act in accordance with the policies of the WikiJournal of Humanities. [[User:LaGCampo|LaGCampo]] ([[User talk:LaGCampo|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/LaGCampo|contribs]]) 13:39, 31 October 2023 (UTC)
}}
* I met Laura while presenting WikiJournal during Open Access week in Colombia. I '''support''' her application given her expertise in journal administration. [[User:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">OhanaUnited</span></b>]][[User talk:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 06:29, 6 November 2023 (UTC)
* I support this application. [[User:Fransplace|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">Fransplace</span></b>]][[User talk:Fransplace|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 21:27, 10 January 2024 (UTC)
* Laura is highly qualified, I support this application.[[User:Jacknunn|Jacknunn]] ([[User talk:Jacknunn|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Jacknunn|contribs]]) 10:13, 31 January 2024 (UTC)
* I support, looks like an ideal addition [[User:Rwatson1955|Rwatson1955]] ([[User talk:Rwatson1955|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Rwatson1955|contribs]]) 07:20, 2 February 2024 (UTC)
* Sure, particularly given OhanaUnited met them in person. --[[User:Piotrus|Piotrus]] ([[User talk:Piotrus|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Piotrus|contribs]]) 05:53, 5 December 2024 (UTC)
* It's a support from me as well.[[User:Evolution and evolvability|T.Shafee(Evo﹠Evo)]]<sup>[[User talk:Evolution and evolvability|talk]]</sup> 02:41, 9 January 2025 (UTC)
==Associate editor application of Taofeeq Idowu ABDULKAREEM==
{{WikiJournal editor application submitted
| position =Associate editor
| name = Taofeeq Idowu ABDULKAREEM
| qualifications = B.A History and International Studies; Member of Historical Society of Nigeria; Founder and Writer for Taofeeq’s Exposure
| link =
https://www.linkedin.com/in/taofeeq-idowu-abdulkareem-mhsn-b3479a1b2
| areas_of_expertise = History and International Studies
| professional_experience = His professional experience can be found in Research, Content writing and Proofreading. He has made series of research in different historical events among which were titled " 'The Great Wall of China', 'The first Nigeria’s National Anthem', 'India’s great voyage to the Mars' " among others.
He made a pioneer work on a topic he used for his undergraduate project research titled "Change and Continuity in Sociopolitical Role of Women in Owo, 1900-1970". This significant work was a culmination of historical research and historical analysis which would be used for further reference in the subject matter.
He was appointed as the Project Coordinator for the Undergraduate Project Research because of his resourcefulness in research and editing. During the period, he coordinated over 30 co-supervises and helped a lot of them with the research and also editing. This makes the Supervisor work much more easier.
As a member of University of Ilorin Model United Nations, he has made numerous research on International happenings and International relations
| publishing_experience = He is a content writer, content editor, researcher, proofreader.
He was a member of the Editorial team of the 2023 Journal of the National Association of Ondo State Students, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria; He was the Assistant Director of Research and Editorial of the Alternative Dispute Resolution, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria; He was an astute writer and editor for Union of Campus Journalists, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.
He provided proofreading assistance for his Long Essay Undergraduate research Supervisor, thereby successfully proofread over 20 undergraduate Project Researches suitable for publication.
His experience can also be found in helping editing articles that are suitable and professional for publish
| open_experience = He is having over 3 years of experience in Wikimedia. He is keen interested individual in open source as he is more interested in people accessing information. He was the Vice President, Training and Development for Wikimedia Fan Club, University of Ilorin where he trained a lot of members on editing on Wikipedia and various other Sibling projects. He led Wikimedia Awareness in Ogbomosho Project where series of people were trained. He had also co-facilitated series of Projects among which are Wikimedia Promotion in Akure, Wikimedia Promotion in Lead City University, Wiki and Health Articles in Nigeria among other projects
| policy_confirm = I confirm that I will act in accordance with the policies of the WikiJournal of Humanities. [[User:Taofeeq Abdulkareem|Taofeeq Abdulkareem]] ([[User talk:Taofeeq Abdulkareem|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Taofeeq Abdulkareem|contribs]]) 09:05, 11 September 2024 (UTC)
}}
* {{ping|Taofeeq Abdulkareem}} Sorry for the delay, I recently found time to review your application. You definitely have sufficient level of professional and open experience (as demonstrated in your contribution activities on wiki). I would like to know more about your publishing experience. Can you tell me more, such as providing links to your published works? Do you have a list of your publications? [[User:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">OhanaUnited</span></b>]][[User talk:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 03:46, 14 October 2024 (UTC)
*:@[[User:OhanaUnited|OhanaUnited]] Thanks for the review and kind comments.
*:Kindly find attached below the list of Publications:
*:# Change and Continuity in Socio-political Role of Women in Owo, 1900-1970
*:# The Great Wall of China
*:# The First Nigeria's National Anthem
*:# India's great voyage to the Mars
*:# 60 Years Journey of Nigeria's Independence
*:Links to the Publications respectively:
*:* https://drive.google.com/file/d/16c8WDHbArhFit9-p8isLMJ9CzgKklzBp/view?usp=drivesdk
*:* https://taofeeqexposure.wordpress.com/2020/07/09/the-great-wall-of-china/
*:* https://taofeeqexposure.wordpress.com/2020/07/11/the-first-nigeria-national-anthem/
*:* https://taofeeqexposure.wordpress.com/2020/08/16/indiathe-pride-of-asia-the-great-journey-to-mars/
*:* https://taofeeqexposure.wordpress.com/2020/10/01/60-years-journey-of-nigerias-independence/
*:[[User:Taofeeq Abdulkareem|Taofeeq Abdulkareem]] ([[User talk:Taofeeq Abdulkareem|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Taofeeq Abdulkareem|contribs]]) 12:09, 16 October 2024 (UTC)
*::@[[User:Taofeeq Abdulkareem|Taofeeq Abdulkareem]] Thank you. Blog posts are not what I considered as publishing experience. Other than the undergraduate thesis, do you have any examples of publishing in a peer-reviewed journal article or book chapter? [[User:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">OhanaUnited</span></b>]][[User talk:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 16:20, 24 October 2024 (UTC)
*:::Thank you for your prompt response. I appreciate your feedback and understand your concerns regarding my publishing experience. While my publication record in peer-reviewed journals may be limited, I would like to highlight my research experience in significant aspects of humanities, including [cultural studies, historical analysis, among others aspects]. Although blog posts may not be traditional publications, they demonstrate my ability to make research and communicate complex ideas to diverse audiences.
*:::Beyond publishing, I've developed valuable skills through Undergraduate thesis research, Editing and proofreading for others, Research assistance in humanities topics.
*:::I bring strong research foundation in humanities, excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills, ability to communicate complex ideas engagingly, experience working with diverse authors and topics, passion for promoting high-quality humanities research. I am eager to leverage these skills to support Wikimedia Journal's mission. I understand the importance of peer-reviewed publications and commit to further developing my expertise.
*:::I would appreciate consideration of my application, recognizing the diverse experiences and skills I bring. Thank you for your time, and I look forward to your response. [[User:Taofeeq Abdulkareem|Taofeeq Abdulkareem]] ([[User talk:Taofeeq Abdulkareem|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Taofeeq Abdulkareem|contribs]]) 09:40, 27 October 2024 (UTC)
*::::I am '''support'''ive of your associate editor application, contingent on mentorship from board members, to help you gain experience around the publishing area. [[User:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">OhanaUnited</span></b>]][[User talk:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 18:54, 14 November 2024 (UTC)
*:::::Thank you for your prompt and warm response. I am thrilled to join the team and contribute to the Humanities journal. As a passionate, ambitious, and evolving individual, I am committed to continuous learning, growth, and development.
*:::::I would greatly appreciate mentorship from the board members to enhance my publishing knowledge and skills. I am eager to apply these skills in my role and contribute meaningfully to the team's growth and success.
*:::::I look forward to the next steps and onboarding process, I am delighted to be part of this team and make a positive impact. [[User:Taofeeq Abdulkareem|Taofeeq Abdulkareem]] ([[User talk:Taofeeq Abdulkareem|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Taofeeq Abdulkareem|contribs]]) 20:25, 14 November 2024 (UTC)
*::::::Please wait for other editorial board members to review and comment on your application. [[User:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">OhanaUnited</span></b>]][[User talk:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 21:44, 18 November 2024 (UTC)
*::::::: Support! [[User:Fransplace|Fransplace]] ([[User talk:Fransplace|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Fransplace|contribs]]) 23:04, 26 March 2025 (UTC)
*'''Support'''. Having read the above, welcome aboard. --[[User:Piotrus|Piotrus]] ([[User talk:Piotrus|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Piotrus|contribs]]) 05:54, 5 December 2024 (UTC)
*{{Support}}.Wikimedia and other editorial experience is very good [[User:Rwatson1955|Rwatson1955]] ([[User talk:Rwatson1955|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Rwatson1955|contribs]]) 14:22, 2 January 2025 (UTC)
{{re|Taofeeq Abdulkareem}} My apologies for the delay in getting back to you. I have spoken with the editor-in-chief for WikiJournal of Humanities and as she [https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Talk%3AWikiJournal_of_Humanities%2FEditors&diff=2708834&oldid=2695018 has indicated] your support for the associate editor application, I am pleased to admit you to the WikiJournal of Humanities editorial board.
'''Result: Accepted into the editorial board as associate editor.'''
: [[WikiJournal User Group/Editorial guidelines#Adding editorial board members|Next steps]] (add <code>DONE</code> or <code><nowiki>{{Done}}</nowiki></code> after someone has performed the task):
# [[{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_board_member|Send a welcome message and confirm their preferred email address]] (usually in their provided website link, else via [[Special:EmailUser]])
{{clickable button 2|Onboarding email template|url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_board_member}}
# Copy their information over to [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board page]] using the {{tlx|WikiJournal editor summary}} template
# Add their name and start data to the [d:{{WJQboard|default=Q75674277}} relevant editorial board] on wikidata
# {{done}} Direct-add them to the {{WJX}}board mailing list ([https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!managemembers/{{WJX}}board/add via this link]) which will grant them access to the private page only visible to board members
# Welcome them at the {{#if:|wjm|WJM}}board mailing list so that they are informed
# Finally, move the application to [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editors/Archive_{{CURRENTYEAR}}|this year's archive page]]
[[User:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">OhanaUnited</span></b>]][[User talk:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 20:22, 2 April 2025 (UTC)
:Thanks for swift and positive response.
:Looking forward to working with the team and making amazing contributions while also playing active part in the progress and development of the Board.
:I will like to thank you once for considering my application.
:I am pleased to be part of the team. Looking forward to the next steps of the onboarding process.
:Kind regards,
:Taofeeq Idowu ABDULKAREEM [[User:Taofeeq Abdulkareem|Taofeeq Abdulkareem]] ([[User talk:Taofeeq Abdulkareem|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Taofeeq Abdulkareem|contribs]]) 20:57, 2 April 2025 (UTC)
==Associate editor application of Sideeq Abubakar Galadima==
{{WikiJournal editor application submitted
| position =Associate editor
| name =Sideeq Abubakar Galadima
| qualifications =B.A. History and International Studies
| link =
| areas_of_expertise =History, Diplomacy, Planning and Management
| professional_experience =His professional experience is deeply rooted in his academic background in History and International Studies, which has familiarized him with the intricacies of objective research, writing, and reportage. His expertise in these areas was further strengthened by his active engagement in news and report writing as a member of the Union of Campus Journalists during his undergraduate studies. Additionally, his experience as a Wikimedia editor has honed his proofreading skills.
As an event planner, he has developed exceptional attention to detail, which has become an integral part of his skillset. Notably, his pioneering research work, titled "Colonialism and the Continuity of Ilorin Cultural Heritage, 1900-1960," demonstrates his ability to conduct in-depth historical analysis and research. This work will undoubtedly serve as a valuable reference for future studies in related fields, such as cultural diplomacy.
| publishing_experience =He's a researcher, news and reports writer, content editor, proofreader
| open_experience =He possesses over three years of experience in Wikimedia, driven by a strong interest in open-source initiatives. Notably, he served as the Special Duties Officer for the Wikimedia Fan Club at the University of Ilorin, where he played a pivotal role in facilitating and training sessions on Wikipedia and its sister projects, as well as co-facilitating workshops, including "Wiki and Health Articles in Nigeria" and "Wikimedia Awareness in Ogbomosho". Through these endeavors, He demonstrated his expertise in promoting open-source knowledge sharing and community engagement. His experience and commitment to Wikimedia's mission have equipped him with a unique skill set, poised to contribute to future initiatives.
| policy_confirm =I confirm that I will act in accordance with the policies of the WikiJournal of Humanities. [[User:Albakry028|Albakry028]] ([[User talk:Albakry028|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Albakry028|contribs]]) 17:54, 11 September 2024 (UTC)
}}
* I really appreciate Sideeq's Wikipedia contributions to topics in Africa. It sounds like the highest degree earned is B.A., and no journal editor experience? I think normally we expect a PhD and some academic journal experience. Also it would be good to have a link to the ""Colonialism and the Continuity of Ilorin Cultural Heritage, 1900-1960", which I wasn't able to find. [[User:Aoholcombe|Aoholcombe]] ([[User talk:Aoholcombe|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Aoholcombe|contribs]]) 23:25, 2 October 2024 (UTC)
*:I agree with your comment. I wasn't able to find this applicant's published work list and I am hesitant with professional experience even for applying as an associate editor position. While the applicant has some experience with open access, the activity was sporadic. However, I think it may be beneficial to have additional volunteers to support this journal that deals with the administrative side of things and less reliant on professional and publishing experiences' side of the journal. @[[User:Albakry028|Albakry028]], in case you didn't see the previous comment, can you provide us with more information? [[User:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">OhanaUnited</span></b>]][[User talk:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 03:55, 14 October 2024 (UTC)
*:Thank you for acknowledging my contributions to African topics on Wikipedia. I appreciate your recognition of my efforts.
Regarding your inquiries, I would like to clarify that my highest educational attainment is a Bachelor of Arts degree. Nevertheless, my editorial expertise has enabled me to assist colleagues with their research projects, leveraging my skills in research and academic writing.
I understand and respect the standard expectations associated with academic roles. However, I was entrusted with this responsibility due to my demonstrated expertise.
Regarding my research work, I am pleased to share the link to my project: "Colonialism and the Continuity of Ilorin Cultural Heritage, 1900-1960."
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bxysalU-AT7JakWfJCFxeWqwpFCz_C7s/view?usp=drivesdk
@[[User:Aoholcombe|Aoholcombe]] @[[User:OhanaUnited|OhanaUnited]] [[User:Albakry028|Albakry028]] ([[User talk:Albakry028|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Albakry028|contribs]]) 13:50, 16 October 2024 (UTC)
:@[[User:Albakry028|Albakry028]] Thanks very much for providing your writing example. Do you have any publishing experience? We are looking for something beyond undergraduate thesis (for example, peer-reviewed journal article or book chapters). I am trained as a scientist and therefore will need more information to assess an applicant's suitability in applying for a humanities position. [[User:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">OhanaUnited</span></b>]][[User talk:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 16:18, 24 October 2024 (UTC)
:Although my publishing experience is limited to my undergraduate thesis, I'm confident in my potential. I bring transferable skills: research expertise, writing proficiency, adaptability, analytical thinking and effective communication. I'm eager to apply research methodology perspectives to humanities contexts, quickly learn and adapt. I'm poised to contribute innovatively through interdisciplinary research, engaging teaching methods and collaborative projects. I appreciate your consideration of potential over conventional metrics. [[User:Albakry028|Albakry028]] ([[User talk:Albakry028|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Albakry028|contribs]]) 13:38, 25 October 2024 (UTC)
::I am happy to '''support''' your associate editor application, contingent on board members' availability, to mentor you to gain experience around the publishing area. [[User:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">OhanaUnited</span></b>]][[User talk:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 18:55, 14 November 2024 (UTC)
:::Thank you for your kind and supportive message. I am thrilled to join the team and grateful for the opportunity to work alongside experienced board members. I am eager to benefit from their mentorship and expertise, which will undoubtedly enhance my skills and knowledge in the publishing field.
:::As a dedicated and passionate individual, I am committed to contributing to the humanities journal and supporting its growth. I am excited to embark on this journey and engage in meaningful discussions as a team member.
:::I look forward to the next steps and onboarding process. [[User:Albakry028|Albakry028]] ([[User talk:Albakry028|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Albakry028|contribs]]) 20:44, 14 November 2024 (UTC)
::::Please wait for other editorial board members to review and comment on your application. [[User:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">OhanaUnited</span></b>]][[User talk:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 21:38, 18 November 2024 (UTC)
::::: I support --[[User:Fransplace|Fransplace]] ([[User talk:Fransplace|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Fransplace|contribs]]) 23:12, 26 March 2025 (UTC)
*'''Support'''. Having read the above, welcome aboard. --[[User:Piotrus|Piotrus]] ([[User talk:Piotrus|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Piotrus|contribs]]) 05:56, 5 December 2024 (UTC)
*{{Support}}.Wikimedia experience is positive [[User:Rwatson1955|Rwatson1955]] ([[User talk:Rwatson1955|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Rwatson1955|contribs]]) 14:23, 2 January 2025 (UTC)
{{re|Kamoranesi90}} My apologies for the delay in getting back to you. I have recently spoken with the editor-in-chief for WikiJournal of Humanities about editor applications. As she has [https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:WikiJournal_of_Humanities/Editors&diff=next&oldid=2708834 indicated her support] for your associate editor application, I am pleased to accept you into the board.
'''Result: Accepted into the editorial board as associate editor.'''
: [[WikiJournal User Group/Editorial guidelines#Adding editorial board members|Next steps]] (add <code>DONE</code> or <code><nowiki>{{Done}}</nowiki></code> after someone has performed the task):
# [[{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_board_member|Send a welcome message and confirm their preferred email address]] (usually in their provided website link, else via [[Special:EmailUser]])
{{clickable button 2|Onboarding email template|url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_board_member}}
# Copy their information over to [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board page]] using the {{tlx|WikiJournal editor summary}} template
# Add their name and start data to the [d:{{WJQboard|default=Q75674277}} relevant editorial board] on wikidata
# {{done}} Direct-add them to the {{WJX}}board mailing list ([https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!managemembers/{{WJX}}board/add via this link]) which will grant them access to the private page only visible to board members
# Welcome them at the {{#if:|wjm|WJM}}board mailing list so that they are informed
# Finally, move the application to [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editors/Archive_{{CURRENTYEAR}}|this year's archive page]]
[[User:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">OhanaUnited</span></b>]][[User talk:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 20:26, 2 April 2025 (UTC)
:Thank you for the opportunity to join the editorial board. I sincerely appreciate the consideration of my application and assure you that I am committed to making a meaningful impact. I look forward to collaborating with the team and contributing to the journal’s growth and success. [[User:Albakry028|Albakry028]] ([[User talk:Albakry028|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Albakry028|contribs]]) 21:13, 2 April 2025 (UTC)
==Editorial board application of Gauthami Penakalapati==
{{WikiJournal editor application submitted
| position =Editorial board
| name =Gauthami Penakalapati
| qualifications =PhD, MPH, BS
| link =https://gauthamip.com/
| areas_of_expertise =global health, global development, gender and development, adolescents and development, evidence synthesis methodologies
| professional_experience =I am an interdisciplinary social science researcher and development strategist with expertise in gender equity, adolescent well-being, and a climate-just transition. My research intersects global development, feminist philosophy, public health, science & technology studies, and geography. At UC Berkeley, I've taught undergraduate social science courses including "Gender & Environment," "Energy & Society," and "Introduction to Global Health." At the graduate level, I've taught courses on research and intervention trial design. My global development experience early in my career motivated my interest in epistemic justice and global development ethics. I designed lectures exploring the colonial underpinnings of global development and imagine anti-colonial approaches to science.
| publishing_experience =peer-reviewer for PLoS Global Health
| open_experience =I'm looking to get more involved in open knowledge projects. This has been a long standing interest of mine, and I'd love the chance to participate and engage with the community.
| policy_confirm =I confirm that I will act in accordance with the policies of the WikiJournal of Humanities. [[User:Gauthamip|Gauthamip]] ([[User talk:Gauthamip|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Gauthamip|contribs]]) 21:22, 29 September 2025 (UTC)
[[User:Gauthamip|Gauthamip]] ([[User talk:Gauthamip|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Gauthamip|contribs]]) 21:22, 29 September 2025 (UTC) = gauthamip 14:22 29 September 2025 (UTC -07:00)
}}
: Thanks for your application [[User:Gauthamip|Gauthamip]]. Do you have experience handling reviews (e.g. identifying and contacting potential peer reviewers) in editorial boards? [[User:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">OhanaUnited</span></b>]][[User talk:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 14:26, 31 October 2025 (UTC)
==Editorial board application of Patryk P. Tomaszewski==
{{WikiJournal editor application submitted
| position =Editorial board
| name =Patryk P. Tomaszewski
| qualifications =Ph.D.; M.Phil.; M.A.
| link =www.patryktomaszewski.com
| areas_of_expertise =history of art, modern European cultural and political history, exhibition history, visual culture of Central and Eastern Europe
| professional_experience =Historian of art and visual culture specializing in twentieth-century Europe. I have written and presented on the Russian avant-gardes; interwar art in Central and Eastern Europe; Socialist Realism and state-directed cultural production across the former Eastern Bloc; and the transnational circulation of art between East and West during the Cold War. Previously held a Joan Tisch Teaching Fellowship at the Whitney Museum of American Art. I teach art history surveys at Fordham University. I served as peer reviewer for ''Latin American Jewish Studies'' and ''The Proceedings of the National Library of Latvia''.
| publishing_experience =I recently published a peer-reviewed article in ''Curator: The Museum Journal'' and contributed a chapter to a scholarly edited volume by Muzeum Sztuki in Łódź. I also published catalogue essays with Skira Editore and the Kosciuszko Foundation. Online publications include a research article for ''post. Notes on Art in a Global Context'' (Museum of Modern Art) and multiple exhibition reviews for ''ArtMargins Online'', among others.
| open_experience =Familiar with Wikipedia's editorial standards, sourcing policies, and content review processes. Interested in contributing to open-access scholarship in the humanities.
| policy_confirm =I confirm that I will act in accordance with the policies of the WikiJournal of Humanities. [[User:PatrykPTomaszewski|PatrykPTomaszewski]] ([[User talk:PatrykPTomaszewski|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/PatrykPTomaszewski|contribs]]) 01:25, 18 February 2026 (UTC)
}}
: Thank you for your application {{u|PatrykPTomaszewski}}. I have a question about your open experience. You wrote that you're {{tq|Familiar with Wikipedia's editorial standards, sourcing policies, and content review processes}} yet your account has no other edit aside from filling out this application. Can you elaborate on your open experience? Do you have an alternative wiki account? [[User:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">OhanaUnited</span></b>]][[User talk:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 20:22, 17 April 2026 (UTC)
::@[[User:OhanaUnited|OhanaUnited]] Thank you for the question. I maintain a long-standing account on English Wikipedia under a different username, where I have contributed several thousand edits, including multiple GAs. I keep that account separate from my professional identity for privacy reasons. I am happy to disclose the account name privately to you or the editor-in-chief if that would be helpful for verification. [[User:PatrykPTomaszewski|PatrykPTomaszewski]] ([[User talk:PatrykPTomaszewski|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/PatrykPTomaszewski|contribs]]) 20:54, 19 April 2026 (UTC)
:::@[[User:PatrykPTomaszewski|PatrykPTomaszewski]] Thanks for the reply. Please use the [[Special:EmailUser]] function to privately disclose your other account to me. [[User:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">OhanaUnited</span></b>]][[User talk:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 14:17, 20 April 2026 (UTC)
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WikiJournal User Group/Editorial guidelines
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<noinclude>{{WikiJ top menu}}</noinclude>
This page describes the steps required to process an article through submission, peer review, formatting and publication.
{{TOClimit|1}}
==Editing published works==
[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer reviewers#Community review|Community peer review comments]] can always be left for articles before or after publication. For articles dual-published into Wikipedia, readers are also encouraged to directly improve or comment on the equivalent Wikipedia pages. Both authors and associate editors may correct spelling errors, minor grammatical errors and inconsistencies in reference formatting even for published works. Technical edits to pages are also allowed. On the other hand, a change in the meaning of the main text may be reverted since it may require renewed peer review and author approval. Suggestions for updates of the main text of published articles may be created as separate drafts that are re-submitted to undergo peer review before being used to update the article. It is recommended to state any conflicts of interest (or simply "none stated") when proposing changes to the main content of published articles. These requirements are not needed if the edits are obviously spelling or grammar corrections.
==How to contribute==
===Help run the journal===
* Apply to be on the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|'''editorial board''']] to steer the journal's direction
* Apply to be an '''[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors|associate editor]]''' to help organise peer review, formatting and Wikipedia-integration of [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Potential upcoming articles|potential upcoming articles]]
* Apply to become the '''[[meta:WikiJournal User Group/Reports|treasurer]]''' of the journals
* [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Be bold|'''Be bold''']] with changes that you think will improve the journal
===Keep in touch===
*Join the [{{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal User Group|https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikijournal-en|https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/{{WikiJXyz}}}} '''public mailing list''']. This is open for anyone to email and read
*Put the '''[[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|main discussion page]]''' on your [[Help:Watchlist|watchlist]] to get updates on the project
*Add other journal project pages to your [[Help:Watchlist|watchlist]] to monitor discussion page questions or any vandalism
*Follow our accounts on [https://www.facebook.com/{{WikiJXyz|default=WikiJSci}} '''Facebook'''] or [https://twitter.com/{{WikiJXyz|default=WikiJSci}} '''Twitter''']
*Share your ideas of what the journal could be like in the '''[[Meta:WikiJournal|future as separate Wikimedia project]]'''
===Outreach===
{{#switch:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal of Science|WikiJournal of Medicine=[[File:{{ROOTPAGENAME}} Poster.pdf|thumb|Poster for noticeboards, tearooms and mailing lists]]}}
Outreach to potential contributors is essential for the journal, and the target audience may include (but is not limited to) scholars and health professionals
*The journal may be '''presented''' at scholarly gatherings ([https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1SOGLdK-iDrW3id-oi3O0oFYGRPughkkt7G0IkHbxL98/edit Example presentation])
*Many '''scholars''' have written [[Wikipedia:Thesis|theses]] that are not published, but sections of which could very well fit as an article
*Also, university faculties {{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal of Medicine| and medical schools}} may be asked to present the journal to their '''students''', as a form of teaching about online information
**{{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal of Medicine|Medical students|Students}} are often required to complete a research project or literature review as a part of their studies, parts or all of which could be eligible for submission
*Writing (or inviting scholars to write) '''articles''' about open access publishing, highlighting the journal as an example (e.g. [https://aoasg.org.au/2017/09/05/open-access-medical-content-and-the-worlds-largest-encyclopedia/ AOASG] and [https://theconversation.com/why-getting-medical-information-from-wikipedia-isnt-always-a-bad-idea-59708 ''The Conversation''])
*Notify '''Wikipedia users''' (or editors at [https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Our_projects other Wikimedia projects]) who may be interested in the project on their talk pages ([[Wikipedia:User_talk:AhMedRMaaty#Wikiversity_Journal_of_Medicine.2C_an_open_access_peer_reviewed_journal_with_no_charges.2C_invites_you_to_participate|Example entry]])
*Coordinate and collaborate with '''other journals or organizations''' with similar scope and reaching out to their users/subscribers through their mailing list
*Spread the word with a [[:File:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}_Poster.pdf|poster]]
===Improve systems and procedures===
*Assist in preparing the [[WikiJournal_User_Group/Applications|applications for the journal to be listed]] in [[w:List of academic databases and search engines|academic databases and search engines]].
===Other===
*[[WikiJournal Preprints|'''Submit''']] an article to WikiJournal. See also [[WikiJournal User Group/Publishing|publishing guidelines]].
*Check on [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Potential upcoming articles|'''potential upcoming articles''']] and [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer reviewers#Community review|comment on their ''Discussion pages'']]
*Add a [[WikiJournal User Group/Peer reviewers#Community review|post-publication review]] of an [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|'''existing publication''']]
**If errors are found, there are [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial_guidelines#Editing_published_works|guidelines for editing published works]]
*[[foundation:Ways_to_Give|'''Donate''' to Wikimedia Foundation]]
*'''Translate''' journal pages into other languages ([[:sv:WikiJournal_of_Medicine|example]])
*Contribute to [[WikiJournal User Group|'''other WikiJournals''']]
==Inviting a submission==
Editors may invite submissions from anyone with suitable expertise. This can act as a way of commissioning an article on a specific topic to replace or update an existing Wikipedia article or as a new article to cover a missing topic.
For content not already on display in Wikimedia projects:
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_submission_invitation|Article submission invitation template}}
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_submission_confirmation|Article submission confirmation template}}
Articles can be adapted from existing Wikipedia pages (or other Wikimedia content). These are submitted via nomination on [[w:WP:WikiJournal_article_nominations|this page on Wikipedia]]. Changes made in response to peer review are integrated back in the Wikipedia version after publication ([https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Draft:WikiJournal_of_Medicine/The_Hippocampus&oldid=1623175 example]).
:{{clickable button 2| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_submission_invitation_(wikipedia_page)|Wikipedia Article submission template}}
==Receiving a submission==
As described at the '''[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Publishing|Publishing]]''' page, the corresponding author may write the article online or email it to {{WikiJMed submissions email}}. In the latter case, the editor-in-chief then asks whether the author wants to have their works kept confidential up until publication, mentioning that processing and peer reviewing goes faster when submissions are put directly in the wiki. Still, authors may prefer confidential processing because many journals do not accept submissions that have been in the open at any time, and thereby authors may be harmed by premature disclosure of any or all of an article submission's details. The authors' choice in this matter will determine the pathway of the ensuing procedure.
===Works without need for confidentiality===
In this case, the corresponding author is asked to [[metawiki:Special:CreateAccount|create a WikiMedia account]] and upload the work directly to [[WikiJournal Preprints]].
If authors find it troublesome to upload the works themselves, editors help out in this matter. Editors may also make edits similarly to [[#Editing_published_works|editing published works]].
Submitted works should be added as a row on the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Potential_upcoming_articles|potential upcoming articles table]]. It is also recommended to mention submission at the talk page of the Wikipedia article of the same topic if such exists already.
===Confidential works===
Discussions related to confidential works need to be held privately, such as by [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board restricted email] to members of the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board]] and [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer reviewers|peer reviewers]].
===Importing from Wikipedia===
If the submission is an existing Wikipedia article, (via nomination at the [[w:wp:WikiJournal article nominations|'embassy page' in Wikipedia]]) it can be imported via the following steps:
# [[Special:Import]] the Wikipedia page to <code>WikiJournal Preprints/Title</code> (including transcluded templates; all previous revisions not necessary for large pages)
# Remove infobox, external links, and categories
# Add {{tlx|Article info}} template to article (works best with VisualEditor) and to discussion page
# Convert all links to links to point to Wikipedia by placing the [[Template:convert links|convert_links template]]:
#* at the top of the page: <code><nowiki>{{</nowiki>[[template:convert_links|subst:convert_links]]<nowiki>|</nowiki></code>
#* at the bottom of the page: <code><nowiki>}}</nowiki></code>
# Inform author by adding <code><nowiki>{{</nowiki>[[w:template:JAN_talk|subst:JAN talk]]{{!}}article name<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> to their Wikipedia talkpage
===Creating location for peer review===
Articles with no Discuss (Talk) page yet should have a link on the right hand menu to 'Create peer review location'. Clicking this should created a page that synchronises the article header information from the corresponding article (containing the preloaded text "<code><nowiki>{{#section-h:{{ARTICLEPAGENAMEE}}}}</nowiki></code>").
===Creating article metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Creating article metadata in wikidata"></span>===
Every submitted article will need a Wikidata item to hold structured metadata (authors, dates, publication status etc). If it already has a Wikidata item, it has a link on the right hand menu "QID: Q12345". If it does not yet have a Wikidata item, it can be created by clicking the link on the right hand menu: "[[wikidata:Special:NewItem|create Wikidata item]]". Check that this item includes:
*{{P|P1476}} = article title
*{{P|P31}} = {{Q|Q580922}}
*{{P|P50}} = each author's name
**{{P|P1545}} = author order
**{{P|P968}} = email of corresponding author
*{{P|P1433}} = {{Q|Q100164397}}
*{{P|P7347}} = peer review url
*{{P|P275}} = license (usually {{Q|Q20007257}})
*{{P|P793 }} = {{Q|Q76903164}} with the qualifiers
**{{P|P585}} = date
**{{P|P276}} = {{Q|Q100164397}}
**{{P|P664}} = {{WikiJournal current volume}}
====Updating author metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating author metadata in wikidata"></span>====
Additionally, for each author:
*{{P|P108}} = current employers (e.g. university or organisation)
**{{P|P6424}} or {{P|P1416}} = affiliation (e.g. department)
*{{P|P101}} = areas of expertise
*{{P|P856}} = faculty website or equivalent
*{{P|P496}} = ORCID
*{{P|P4174}} = username
===Plagiarism checking===
All submitted works should first be checked for plagiarism. The [https://tools.wmflabs.org/copyvios/?lang=en&project=wikiversity&action=search&use_engine=1&turnitin=1|WMF copyvios tool] will identify plagiarism of any online sources. Write the results on the ''[[Wikiversity:Discuss|Discuss-page]]'' of the submission, such as:
*<nowiki>{{Pass}}</nowiki> Report from [https://tools.wmflabs.org/copyvios/?lang=en&project=wikiversity&action=search&use_engine=1&turnitin=1 WMF copyvios tool]: 0% plagiarism detected <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>
*<nowiki>{{Pass}}</nowiki> Report from [https://tools.wmflabs.org/copyvios/?lang=en&project=wikiversity&action=search&use_engine=1&turnitin=1 WMF copyvios tool] flagged some false positives (not regarded as plagiarism) due to references matching wording in published articles / attributed quotes / common stock phrases. <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>
* Report from [https://tools.wmflabs.org/copyvios/?lang=en&project=wikiversity&action=search&use_engine=1&turnitin=1 WMF copyvios tool]: 70% chance of plagiarism detected: Paragraph X closeley matches similar in source Y. <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>
Cases of reverse-plagiarism from Wikipedia (other sites plagiarising a wiki) can often be identified using the [[mw:Who_Wrote_That?|Who Wrote That tool]] to identify when the overlapping text was added to Wikipedia.
==Rejecting articles==
Some submitted manuscripts may be judged by the Editorial Board as not meeting [[WikiJournal_User_Group/Publishing#Criteria_for_inclusion|criteria for publication]]. Preferably, the handling Editor will discuss this within the Editorial Board and allow sufficient time to ensure consensus.
If there is consensus within the Editorial Board that the manuscript cannot meet the criteria for inclusion, even in future revisions of the work, than it may be rejected without further peer review ("desk reject").
A manuscript might also be rejected after peer review, if the reviewers raise appropriate points which the authors do not want or are unable or unwilling to address. In such instances, if the authors do to pursue further publication, the work can be ''archived'' as no longer active, rather than rejected.
If however, a complete overhaul would later make the article suitable for further peer review (''e.g.'' manuscript initially had no or almost no supporting references, and these are later added), than the work can be resubmitted again through the original submission process.
Editors can find a sample rejection letter [[WikiJournal_User_Group/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_declined_for_publication|'''here''']].
Currently, only "nonsense" pages are deleted through the standard deletion process. Whether or not other preprints submitted via the non-confidential pathway on the wiki can be deleted upon request of the authors, is still a matter of debate. Currently, these pages would need to go through the standard [[Wikiversity:Requests for Deletion]] process.
==Arranging peer review==
Articles needing peer review can be seen at [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Potential upcoming articles|potential upcoming articles]]. Submissions require at least two invited external peer reviewers. Editorial comments and spontaneous reviews from interested readers are additionally always valued.
===Responsibility===
Each submitted work is designated to one or more "[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors#Coordinator|peer review coordinator]]" among journal editors. The review coordinator is in charge of organising the peer review invitations and monitoring the submission through the peer review process.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Review_coordinator_introduction|Introduction of review coordinators to authors template}}
===Finding peer reviewers===
Suitable peer reviewers can be found by the following methods:
# Authors may recommend suitably qualified peer reviewers to review their submitted manuscript. The peer review coordinator should look at this item in the authorship declaration form (access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]).
# Check the recent papers cited by the submission.
# Search the submission's keywords on [https://scholia.toolforge.org/topic Scholia]
# Search scholarly databases using key phrases to find recent publications (e.g. [https://scholar.google.com G-Scholar], [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ Pubmed], [https://www.scopus.com Scopus], [https://zbmath.org zbMATH Open (for Mathematics)])
# Search by field or keyword in [https://publons.com/researcher/?order_by=verified_reviews_performed_last_12_months Publons]
# Search by abstract or key phrases in [http://jane.biosemantics.org/ JANE database].
#Search by key phrases at [https://www.semanticscholar.org/ semanticscholar]
In general, prioritise contacting reviewers who've published during the last 5 years. In addition to contacting the corresponding authors, the less senior authors often have a higher response rates when contacted. The response rate of the first round of reviewer invitations can inform how many emails will be needed in the second round of invitations. It is worth considering whether to ensure that one of the peer reviewers was not specifically recommended by the authors (peer review coordinator's discretion).
[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer reviewers|Peer reviewers]] must fulfill the following criteria:
* Public contact information, or be willing to be contacted by a Wikimedia volunteer by [[Wikiversity:Peer review verification|peer review verification]] if necessary, wherein only [[Wikiversity:OTRS|trusted participants]] know the identity.
* Expertise in the specific field of the article to be reviewed and be willing to confirm their credentials if requested
* Open identity recommended, but may remain anonymous
Prospective peer reviewers should also state any conflicts of interests if applicable. For example, if the peer reviewer is an author of an article that is used as a reference in the article submission at hand, this should be mentioned among conflicts of interest.
===Inviting a peer reviewer===
Invitation emails to potential peer reviewers are tailored to the associated article submissions and reviewer and may describe why that person in particular was chosen as a reviewer. Reviews should ideally be submitted via the '''[https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6X4MbTAz_Vx4G_XDpXKE-KSa7NZsqMtJ71poJSg-mgwxy8g/viewform peer review submission form]'''. Example templates are included below.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Inviting_a_review|Peer review request template (new content)}}
===Reminding a peer reviewer===
Note that reviewers will often respond to a second email sent a week or two later even if they did not respond to the first.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Reminding_a_reviewer|Peer review reminder templates}}
===Confirming a peer reviewer===
Once a reviewer has confirmed that they are willing to review an article, the full manuscript should be provided. The email should contain the article to be reviewed as an attachment, and a link to the url if the pre-print draft is available. Be sure to check if the article ''authors'' have requested to be anonymised for the peer review.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Confirming_a_reviewer|Peer review confirmation template}}
===Importing reviews===
In case a work has already undergone a peer review by another journal or reviewing service, that peer review can count in {{ROOTPAGENAME}} if the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer_reviewers#Criteria|peer reviewer criteria]] are met. This requires that the editorial board gets to know the identity of the peer reviewer, and that the reviewer agrees to have it published under creative commons license ([[creativecommons:by-sa/3.0/|CC BY-SA]]). External peer reviews that do not fulfill these criteria should still be uploaded if possible, but do not count to the minimum of 2 independent peer reviews for each article.
==Processing received peer reviews==
=== Checking the review ===
Reviews submitted via the [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6X4MbTAz_Vx4G_XDpXKE-KSa7NZsqMtJ71poJSg-mgwxy8g/viewform peer review form] appear in the tracking spreadsheet (access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]<!-- Physierkwelt 24-06-07: I see a group with the last message from 2020, which does not redirect me to the Excel spreadsheet-->). Received peer reviews should first be checked for any disclosure of conflicts of interests, even if merely saying "none declared". Emailed peer reviews should, in addition, be checked for inclusion of:
* The title of the work that is peer reviewed
* Date of the peer review (or last date of peer review period)
* A [[Wikiversity:Uploading_files#Free_licenses|licensing statement that allows usage in Wikiversity]]
If the peer review lacks any of these criteria, a request should be sent to the peer reviewer to supplement to peer review.
===Uploading the review===
Submitted peer reviews will appear in the submitted review spreadsheet (access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]). Reviews should be added to the "discussion" page of the article after checking whether the reviewer requested anonymity. Ideally, it should be formatted with the {{Tlx|Review}} template. If peer review was submitted as a PDF, then [[Special:Upload|upload the file]] and add the link in the {{Para|pdf}} parameter.
The author should be informed by email (in the authors declaration responses spreadsheet, access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup])
::{{clickable button 2| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Reviewer_comments_complete|Reviewer comments submitted template}}
===Updating review metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating review metadata in wikidata"></span>===
When a review is posted to the article discussion page, check to see if the peer reviewer has a wikidata item (if they do not, create one). Add their QID to the {{Para|Q}} parameter on the peer review text. A button should then appear to add the information to Wikidata (you will need to have made 50 previous edits to wikidata for this button to work):
*{{P|P4032}} = peer reviewer
**{{P|P585}} = date (if reviewer doesn't request to see review again after author responses)
**{{P|P580}} = date (if reviewer requests to see review again after author responses, with {{P|P582}} when they agree their comments have been fully addressed)If the peer reviewer was anonymous, you will also need to add some information to the article's wikidata item ([[Wikidata:Q99676829|example]]):
*{{P|P4032}} = {{Q|Q4233718}}
**{{P|P101}} = areas of expertise
**{{P|P512}} = degree (if there would be any ambiguity of PhD/MD/PsyD etc)
====Updating reviewer metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating reviewer metadata in wikidata"></span>====
Additionally, each reviewer should have:
*{{P|P108}} = current employers (e.g. university or organisation)
**{{P|P6424}} or {{P|P1416}} = affiliation (e.g. department)
*{{P|P101}} = areas of expertise
*{{P|P856}} = faculty website or equivalent
*{{P|P496}} = ORCID
==Article amendments and publication decision==
=== Author response to review ===
At this stage, the authors of the article are asked to amend the issues brought up in the peer review.
# Editing the article itself to address any issues
# Responding to all comments raised by the reviewers (using the {{Tlx|Response}}template)
Once the article has been revised, the peer reviewer(s) should be notified if they have requested it in the peer reviewer form (access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]). The editor can also contact one or more peer reviewers again if they are uncertain whether an author's response fully addressed a reviewer's comments, or if the author has added significant new content that needs to be seen by a reviewer.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Second_check_by_a_reviewer_if_requested|Reviewer final check template}}
=== Editorial decision ===
An article is ready to be brought by the peer review coordinator to the editorial board for a decision once:
*Two or more external peer reviewers have given feedback on the article
*The author has addressed all reviewer's comments (peer reviewers may request to see the article again after amendments)
*The peer review coordinator always has the option to invite further reviews if they deem it useful (e.g. if initial peer reviewers disagree with one another)
{{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal of Medicine
|*Medical content intended for integration into Wikipedia should be checked for compatibility with Wikipedia's [[w:WP:MEDMOS|medical style guidelines]] and [[w:WP:MEDRS|medical referencing guidelines]]. It is recommended to post a notice at [[w:WT:MED|WikiProject Medicine]] for feedback.
}}
In such cases, the peer review coordinator should notify the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial_board|editorial board]] with a summary of their recommendation to accept, decline, or request further changes. The editorial board will then take one-two weeks to form a consensus on whether the article is suitable for publication. In trivial cases (e.g. if the author has not responded to reviewer comments) the review coordinator can make the decision to decline and inform the editorial board.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Editorial_board_publication_decision_needed|Editorial board notification template}}
==== Accepting articles ====
Articles that are approved by the editorial board for inclusion in the journal go through the following processes:
*[[#Updating_metadata_in_wikidata|update the metadata in wikidata]]
*[[#Page_location|Move the article page]] to "''{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Title''"
*[[#Assignment_of_digital_object_identifier|Assign a digital object identifier]] (DOI)
*[[#Inclusion_in_the_current_volume_and_issue|Include the {{tlc|Article info}} template]] at the top of the current issue of [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}]] (source page located under "[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Issues|Journal issues]]" at top menu)
*[[#PDF_files|Create the PDF file]]
*[[#Depositing_XML|Link to an XML file]]
*[[#Inform_the_authors|Inform the corresponding author]] about article acceptance
Article authors may be asked to translate the abstract into other languages they know. A translated abstract should be put in the Wikiversity of that language if available.
==== Declining articles ====
If the decision is made to decline an article, the step are similar:
* Inform the corresponding author about the decision and reasons
* Add to article's Wikidata item: {{P|P793}} = {{Q|Q98398200}} with the qualifier {{P|P585}} = date
* Add an explanation of the decision to the article's talkpage
* If the article was adapted from Wikipedia, add a link on the Wikipedia article's talkpage pointing to the review
==Inclusion of approved articles==
[[File:WikiJournal publishing instructions 1.webm|thumb|Accepted article processing steps (turn on captions)]]
=== Updating published article metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating published article metadata in wikidata"></span>===
Ensure that the article's Wikidata item is filled in ([[#Creating_article_metadata_in_Wikidata|this data]] should already be present). This will update the information everywhere else. In particular, the following must be added:
*{{P|P356}} = 10.15347/{{WJX}}/{{CURRENTYEAR}}.XXX (where XXX is the chronological order of the work for this year)
*{{P|P31}} = {{Q|Q13442814}}
*{{P|P1433}} = {{Q|{{WJQ}}}}
*{{P|P577}} = date
*{{P|P478}} = {{WikiJournal current volume}} (for {{CURRENTYEAR}}; this is updated every year)
*{{P|P433}} = 1
*{{P|P304}} = the chronological order of the work for this year
*{{P|P953}} = URL of final PDF
*{{P|P1104}} = number of pages in the final PDF
Additionally, ideally information should be added ([[Wikidata:Q96317242|example]]):
*{{P|P921}} = main subject
*{{P|P4510}} = methods/techniques/conceptual frameworks
*{{P|P2860}} = references cited
===Page location===
[[Meta:Help:Moving a page|Move]] the page from <code>WikiJournal_Preprints/Title</code> to <code>{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Title</code> (this will also automatically update in the article's Wikidata record).
===Inclusion in the current volume and issue===
Once the publication date is added on Wikidata, published articles will automatically appear in the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Volume_{{WikiJournal current volume}}_Issue_1|current journal issue]] at midnight UTC (added by [[User:WikiJournalBot]]).
===Assignment of digital object identifier===
Assignment of a DOI to an article is done through [[Wikipedia:Crossref|Crossref]] (log-in details in [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]) via their [http://www.crossref.org/webDeposit web deposit form], using the following metadata:
Data Type Selection: Journal
<u>Journal information</u>
:Title: '''''{{ROOTPAGENAME}}'''''
:Abbr.: '''''{{Wiki J Xyz}}'''''
:Journal DOI: 10.15347/'''{{WJX|wjx|lc=true}}'''
:URL: '''{{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal User Group|journal URL|[http://www.{{WikiJXyz}}.org http://www.{{WikiJXyz}}.org]}}/''' (the final '''/''' is necessary)
:Print ISSN: (leave blank)
:Elect ISSN: '''{{WikiJournal ISSN nodash}}'''
:Volume: '''{{WikiJournal current volume}}''' (for {{CURRENTYEAR}}; this is updated every year)
:Issue: '''1''' (updated every 6-15 articles)
:Issue DOI: (leave blank)
:Issue URL: (leave blank)
:Publication dates;
:Type: print: (leave blank)
:Type: online;
:Year: '''{{CURRENTYEAR}}'''
:Month: (leave blank)
:Day: (leave blank)
Continue to "Add article", and enter article-specific details.
<u>Article information</u>
:Title: '''title of article'''
:DOI: '''10.15347/{{WJX|wjx|lc=true}}/{{CURRENTYEAR}}.XXX''' (where XXX is the chronological order of the work for this year)
:URL: '''full url of article'''
:Contributors: '''add each author and their ORCiD''' (affiliations are not needed).
:First page: '''X''' (where X is the chronological order of the work for this year)
:Last page: (leave blank)
Whenever metadata are updated, all applicable fields need to be filled in again and previous data is over-written.
<u>User information</u>
:Username: see [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]
:Password: see [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]
:e-mail: '''{{ {{WikiJXyz}}_general_contact_email}}'''
===Submitting reference metadata===
Logging links to an article's references is also done through [[Wikipedia:Crossref|Crossref]] (log-in details in [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]) via their [https://apps.crossref.org/SimpleTextQuery Simple text form]:
*Copy and paste all the references from the article over to the [https://apps.crossref.org/SimpleTextQuery Crossref form] and click 'Submit'
*Scroll down to the bottom of the generated page and click 'Deposit'
*Include the information:
:Email address: '''{{ {{WikiJXyz}}_general_contact_email}}'''
:Parent DOI: DOI of the WikiJournal article for which you are adding references
:Username: see [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]
:Password: see [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]
===Registering article in DOAJ===
Individual articles can be indexed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (log-in details in [https://groups.google.com/g/wikijournal-technical technical editorial googlegroup]) through their [https://doaj.org/publisher/metadata article metadata form].
===Depositing XML===
When a DOI has been obtained from Crossref and added to the article, a link will appear on the right of the article to 'Deposit' the XML. Clicking that link will create an /XML subpage containing the preloaded text "<code><nowiki>{{#section-h:{{subst:#titleparts:{{subst:PAGENAMEE}}|</nowiki>'''volume'''{{!}}'''issue'''<nowiki>}}}}</nowiki></code>" which, when saved, will format the XML metadata automatically ([[WikiJournal of Medicine/The Cerebellum/XML|Example]]). Alternatively, an XML-file will be sent to {{{{WikiJXyz}} general contact email}} which can be pasted into the /XML subpage. One saved, the link on the right of the article will read 'Download' in stead of 'Deposit'.
===Inform the authors===
Authors should be notified with the article's acceptance and its doi. Authors can assist in several of the post-acceptance steps if they choose by [[#PDF files|formatting the PDF]] and/or [[#Wikipedia inclusion|integrating content into Wikipedia]].
Otherwise a journal editor should do these.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_accepted_for_publication|Article acceptance template}}
==PDF files==
===Creation of PDF files===
[[File:WikiJournal PDF formatting.webm|thumb|Accepted article PDF formatting (turn on captions)]]
# First, the article's {{tlx|Article info}} template should be checked to make sure that the information is up to date
# The PDF should be formatted using the standardised blank template (MS word 2013 or later recommended)
#: {{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal User Group
|Article formatting templates (.docx): [{{WikiJMed_PDF_template}} WikiJMed] / [{{WikiJSci_PDF_template}} WikiJSci] / [{{WikiJHum_PDF_template}} WikiJHum]
|{{clickable button 2| url={{{{WikiJXyz}}_PDF_template}} | Accepted article formatting template (.docx)}}
}}
# Copy the article's material from the wiki page into the docx template
#* Text sections and publication data (e.g. date) are copied and pasted from the wiki page into the docx template. Pasting with the "Merge formatting" option should keep source formatting but use the font and text size of the template.
#* Wiki links and hyperlinks to references should be preserved when copying from the wiki page into the docx template (in blue color but not underscored).
#* Figures should be pasted from the full-resolution versions on Wikimedia commons (not the lower-resolution previews shows on article wiki pages)
# Use Ctrl+H to find-replace <code>space</code> with <code>space</code> (WikiMarkup often includes non-breaking spaces)
# Remove "↑ Jump to" from reference list
# File > Options > Advanced > Image Size and Quality > "Do Not Compress images in file" (retain full-resolution images)
# File > Save as > docx
# File > Save as > PDF (avoid [[Wikipedia:Portable_Document_Format#Software|PDF "printing"]] since this can lead to misformatting)
# Final PDF chacks: zoom in on figures to confirm resolution, test a selection of hyperlinks, look for any misformatted or overlapping text, and compare overall formatting against a previously published article.
===Uploading PDF files to the journal===
#Upload the docx file to {{#switch:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}
|WikiJournal User Group = [https://drive.google.com/open?id=1oi98pP7oO9CyAeQUFOJDr4pj3EkcImQS WikiJSci docx folder] / [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4LQzkvkbO9YYlZRZDUxVlNtdW8 WikiJMed docx folder] / [https://drive.google.com/open?id=1gvpVH8_ajSKiQ2rp2eUjuAG6pDMvAdUl WikiJHum docx folder]
|WikiJournal of Medicine = [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4LQzkvkbO9YYlZRZDUxVlNtdW8 WikiJMed docx folder]
|WikiJournal of Science = [https://drive.google.com/open?id=1oi98pP7oO9CyAeQUFOJDr4pj3EkcImQS WikiJSci docx folder]
|WikiJournal of Humanities = [https://drive.google.com/open?id=1gvpVH8_ajSKiQ2rp2eUjuAG6pDMvAdUl WikiJHum docx folder]
}}
#[[Special:Upload|Upload the PDF file to Wikiversity]]. Name the PDF the exact same as the article title (omit any <code>:</code> characters, since they can't be included in filenames)
#*On the file page, in stead of {{tlc|Information}}, use <code><nowiki>{{subst:InformationQ|Q1234568}}</nowiki></code> using the article's Wikidata QID.
===Updating PDF files===
When a minor update to an article is needed, the docx version (linked from the bottom of the wiki page) should be used as the starting template, with changes copied across from the article's wiki page.
For major updates, it may be best to create the document again from scratch using the blank [{{{{WikiJXyz}}_PDF_template}} .docx template].
The updated PDF can be uploaded by going to the <code>File:[Article title].pdf</code> page and clicking "Upload a new version of this file".
==Wikipedia inclusion==
Different [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Publishing#Publication_formats|types of articles]] have differing potential for Wikipedia integration. Articles that review and summarise existing knowledge from other [[w:wp:Reliable sources|reliable sources]] can be copied as content into Wikipedia. [[w:wp:Original research|Original research]] cannot be copied into Wikipedia. Any content integrated into Wikipedia will then be updatable over time in the same manner as any [[Wikipedia:Ownership of content|other Wikipedia content]]. Please note that it is up to the consensus of the Wikipedia editor community as to whether to accept, edit or omit any added content.
===As content===
*Articles written in an encyclopedia review format may be fully copied into Wikipedia. Such Wikipedia articles also should also have the <code>{{[[w:template:Academic peer reviewed|Academic peer reviewed]]}}</code> template added at the beginning of their reference section. ([[wikipedia:Cerebellum|example]])
*Short articles written in a mini review format may be added as a section of a relevant Wikipedia article and should be added to the category [[:wikipedia:category:Wikipedia articles with sections published in {{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}]]. ([[wikipedia:Gene#Structure and function|example]])
*Images should be added to relevant articles, as long as they [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:No original research#Original images|do not illustrate unpublished ideas or arguments]]. The WikiJournal article should be [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Citing sources|cited as a reference]] in the image caption in Wikipedia. ([[wikipedia:Steroidogenic enzyme|example]])
Only encyclopedic content should be integrated into the encyclopedia. In all cases, any [[w:wp:OR|discussion, speculation or outlook sections]] should be omitted from the version integrated into Wikipedia.
;Process
*The author(s) of the WikiJournal article should be invited to perform this integration.
*The edit summaries should ideally include a link to the work in WikiJournal and specify the CC license (for at least the first edit summary), E.g.:
*:"<code><nowiki>Adding/Updating section XYZ from [[v:</nowiki>{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}<nowiki>/...]], [[doi:10.15347/</nowiki>{{WJX|wjx|lc=true}}/{{CURRENTYEAR}}<nowiki>.XXX]] under a CC-BY-SA license</nowiki></code>"<br> Note: check relevant section, link, DOI, and license
*Changes in the material to adapt to Wikipedia's format may include:
** Decide if any parts of the WikiJournal article need to be omited from the Wikipedia page (original research / opinions / perspectives / conclusions)
** If a current Wikipedia page on the topic already exists decide which parts to keep
** If an image appears only in Wikiversity but not in the Wikipedia article, move it to Wikimedia Commons: [[Commons:Commons:Moving files to Commons|Moving files to Commons]]
** Remove <code>w:</code> prefixes in links (tidier, but not strictly necessary)
** Replace <code><nowiki>[[xyz|xyz]]</nowiki></code> with <code><nowiki>[[xyz]]</nowiki></code> (tidier, but not strictly necessary)
* Add to the Wikidata item: {{P|P793}} = {{Q|Q17853087}} with the qualifiers
**{{P|P585}} = date
**{{P|P4969}} = {{Q|Q52}}
**{{P|P2699}} = URL of Wikipedia page
* Add the <code><nowiki>{{</nowiki>[[w:template:Academic peer reviewed|Academic peer reviewed]]<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> template in the References and at the top of the Talk page
==Scientific misconduct==
Any person suspecting [[Wikipedia:Scientific misconduct|scientific misconduct]] of any article should [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Contact|contact the editor-in-chief]] or an [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editors#Editorial_board_members|editorial board members]], who in turn should bring any suspected scientific misconduct to the knowledge of the entire board. [[Wikipedia:Committee on Publication Ethics|COPE]] has flowcharts for different types of situations: [https://publicationethics.org/resources/flowcharts].
Upon suspected scientific misconduct by an author or reviewer, the next step is generally that an editor contacts the corresponding author or reviewer to ask for an explanation. COPE has examples of letters to authors in such cases [http://publicationethics.org/resources/ sample-letters]. Such letters should not accuse authors or reviewers, but should rather state the facts clearly, and allow them to explain their actions before coming to a decision.
;See also
[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Ethics_statement#Contact_and_dispute_resolution|Ethics statement]]
==Adding and removing journal editors==
===Adding editorial board members===
Once an editorial board member applicant has clear consensus ([[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Bylaws#Section 3. Appointment|relevant bylaws]]), they can be accepted to the board by the following steps.
# Add this text <code><nowiki>{{subst:</nowiki>[[Template:WikiJournal accepted board member|WikiJournal accepted board member]]<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> underneath their application on the [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board applications page]], which will paste these points as a checklist <section begin=checklist_board/>
# [[{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_board_member|Send a welcome message and confirm their preferred email address]] (usually in their provided website link, else via [[Special:EmailUser]])<br>{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_board_member|Onboarding email template}}
# If they do not yet have a Wikidata item, create one
# Copy their information over to [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board page]] using the {{tlx|Editor info}} template (including their Wikidata QID)
# The above step will create a button that will update the [[d:{{WJQboard|default=Q75674277}}|relevant editorial board]] on Wikidata
# Direct-add them to the {{WJX}}board mailing list ([https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!managemembers/{{WJX}}board/add via this link]) which will grant them access to the private page only visible to board members
# Welcome them at the {{WJX}}board mailing list so that they are informed
# Finally, move the application to [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editors/Archive_{{CURRENTYEAR}}|this year's archive page]]
<section end=checklist_board/>
===Removing editorial board members===
Members can be removed from the editorial board by their own request (either completely, or changing to be an associate editor) or can be voted out ([[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Bylaws#Section_3._Removal relevant bylaws]]).
# Removal from the {{WJX}}board mailing list ([https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!managemembers/{{WJX}}board/members/active via this link])
# Moving their information from the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board page]] to the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial_board#Previous_board_members|Previous board members section]]
# Removal of any social media accesses that they were granted
# Send a confirmation email to them and cc in the {{WJX}}board mailing list so that they and the board are informed
===Adding associate editors===
Associate editors are accepted by consensus of the editorial board, and their addition follows these steps
# Add this text <code><nowiki>{{subst:</nowiki>[[Template:WikiJournal accepted associate editor|WikiJournal accepted associate editor]]<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> underneath their application on the [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors|associate editor applications page]], which will paste these points as a checklist <section begin=checklist_assoc/>
# [[{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_associate_editor|Send a welcome message and confirm their preferred email address]] (usually in their provided website link, else via [[Special:EmailUser]])<br>{{clickable button 2
|url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_associate_editor|Onboarding email template}}
# If they do not yet have a Wikidata item, create one
# Copy their information over to the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors|associate editor page]] using the {{tlx|Editor info}} template (including Wikidata QID)
# The above step will create a button that will update the [[d:{{WJQassoc|default=Q104167540}}|relevant associate editor list]] on Wikidata
# Email the {{WJX}}board mailing list so that they are informed
# Finally, move the application to [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editors/Archive_{{<includeonly>subst:</includeonly>CURRENTYEAR}}|this year's archive page]] <section end=checklist_assoc/>
Note that associate editors are ''not'' added to the {{WJX}}board mailing list and so do not gain access to journal passwords or confidential information.
===Removing associate editors===
Members can be removed from the associate editor team by their own request, they can request to join the editorial board, or can be voted out ([[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Bylaws#Section_3._Removal relevant bylaws]]).
# Removal of their information from the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors|associate editor page]]
# Removal of any social media accesses that they were granted
# Send a confirmation email to them and cc in the {{WJX}}board mailing list so that they and the board are informed
===Updating editor metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating editor metadata in Wikidata"></span>===
Add to the relevant editorial team ({{Q|{{WJQboard}}}} or {{Q|{{WJQassoc}}}}):
*{{P|P98}} = editor
**{{P|P580}} = date
Additionally, to each editor:
*{{P|P108}} = current employers (e.g. university or organisation)
**{{P|P6424}} or {{P|P1416}} = affiliation (e.g. department)
*{{P|P101}} = areas of expertise
*{{P|P856}} = faculty website or equivalent
*{{P|P496}} = ORCID
*{{P|P4174}} = username
==Social media accounts==
===Adding admins===
Editors interested in being an admin for a journal's [https://www.facebook.com/{{WikiJXyz|default=WikiJSci}} Facebook] and [https://twitter.com/{{WikiJXyz|default=WikiJSci}} Twitter] accounts should contact the Editor in Chief and/or current social media team. Admins can be either added directly by the EiC, or by consensus of the current social media admins. New admins should be added to the [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/wikijournal-social-media social media admin google group].
Due to the very public nature of social media, there is a two-week probationary period before being being given account passwords:
* [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd7UOiidYOAzkBfAVBe8eWwE5mbmvRF6wR3NDfTgnj0dDdBFQ/viewform Suggest 5 social media posts] over a 2 week period
* [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd7UOiidYOAzkBfAVBe8eWwE5mbmvRF6wR3NDfTgnj0dDdBFQ/viewform Suggest 10 accounts] to follow
Twitter is especially sensitive, since a single account password is shared, whereas for Facebook users can be added as having 'editor' permissions to post content.
===Recommended use of social media===
General guidelines:
*Be sure anything shared/reposted aligns with journal principles
*When citing a publication, always include the doi
*Include an image whenever possible
Examples posts:
*A catchy summary of published WikiJournal article
*Retweet article summary from other WikiJournal that may be relevant to audience
*Any info from WikiJournal site (e.g. aims / scope / editor info etc)
*Relevant news articles from other outlets
*Retweet relevant posts (about e.g. open access, Wikipedia, outreach, science communications)
[[Category:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:WikiJournal guidelines]]
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<noinclude>{{WikiJ top menu}}</noinclude>
This page describes the steps required to process an article through submission, peer review, formatting and publication.
{{TOClimit|1}}
==Editing published works==
[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer reviewers#Community review|Community peer review comments]] can always be left for articles before or after publication. For articles dual-published into Wikipedia, readers are also encouraged to directly improve or comment on the equivalent Wikipedia pages. Both authors and associate editors may correct spelling errors, minor grammatical errors and inconsistencies in reference formatting even for published works. Technical edits to pages are also allowed. On the other hand, a change in the meaning of the main text may be reverted since it may require renewed peer review and author approval. Suggestions for updates of the main text of published articles may be created as separate drafts that are re-submitted to undergo peer review before being used to update the article. It is recommended to state any conflicts of interest (or simply "none stated") when proposing changes to the main content of published articles. These requirements are not needed if the edits are obviously spelling or grammar corrections.
==How to contribute==
===Help run the journal===
* Apply to be on the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|'''editorial board''']] to steer the journal's direction
* Apply to be an '''[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors|associate editor]]''' to help organise peer review, formatting and Wikipedia-integration of [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Potential upcoming articles|potential upcoming articles]]
* Apply to become the '''[[meta:WikiJournal User Group/Reports|treasurer]]''' of the journals
* [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Be bold|'''Be bold''']] with changes that you think will improve the journal
===Keep in touch===
*Join the [{{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal User Group|https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikijournal-en|https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/{{WikiJXyz}}}} '''public mailing list''']. This is open for anyone to email and read
*Put the '''[[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|main discussion page]]''' on your [[Help:Watchlist|watchlist]] to get updates on the project
*Add other journal project pages to your [[Help:Watchlist|watchlist]] to monitor discussion page questions or any vandalism
*Follow our accounts on [https://www.facebook.com/{{WikiJXyz|default=WikiJSci}} '''Facebook'''] or [https://twitter.com/{{WikiJXyz|default=WikiJSci}} '''Twitter''']
*Share your ideas of what the journal could be like in the '''[[Meta:WikiJournal|future as separate Wikimedia project]]'''
===Outreach===
{{#switch:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal of Science|WikiJournal of Medicine=[[File:{{ROOTPAGENAME}} Poster.pdf|thumb|Poster for noticeboards, tearooms and mailing lists]]}}
Outreach to potential contributors is essential for the journal, and the target audience may include (but is not limited to) scholars and health professionals
*The journal may be '''presented''' at scholarly gatherings ([https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1SOGLdK-iDrW3id-oi3O0oFYGRPughkkt7G0IkHbxL98/edit Example presentation])
*Many '''scholars''' have written [[Wikipedia:Thesis|theses]] that are not published, but sections of which could very well fit as an article
*Also, university faculties {{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal of Medicine| and medical schools}} may be asked to present the journal to their '''students''', as a form of teaching about online information
**{{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal of Medicine|Medical students|Students}} are often required to complete a research project or literature review as a part of their studies, parts or all of which could be eligible for submission
*Writing (or inviting scholars to write) '''articles''' about open access publishing, highlighting the journal as an example (e.g. [https://aoasg.org.au/2017/09/05/open-access-medical-content-and-the-worlds-largest-encyclopedia/ AOASG] and [https://theconversation.com/why-getting-medical-information-from-wikipedia-isnt-always-a-bad-idea-59708 ''The Conversation''])
*Notify '''Wikipedia users''' (or editors at [https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Our_projects other Wikimedia projects]) who may be interested in the project on their talk pages ([[Wikipedia:User_talk:AhMedRMaaty#Wikiversity_Journal_of_Medicine.2C_an_open_access_peer_reviewed_journal_with_no_charges.2C_invites_you_to_participate|Example entry]])
*Coordinate and collaborate with '''other journals or organizations''' with similar scope and reaching out to their users/subscribers through their mailing list
*Spread the word with a [[:File:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}_Poster.pdf|poster]]
===Improve systems and procedures===
*Assist in preparing the [[WikiJournal_User_Group/Applications|applications for the journal to be listed]] in [[w:List of academic databases and search engines|academic databases and search engines]].
===Other===
*[[WikiJournal Preprints|'''Submit''']] an article to WikiJournal. See also [[WikiJournal User Group/Publishing|publishing guidelines]].
*Check on [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Potential upcoming articles|'''potential upcoming articles''']] and [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer reviewers#Community review|comment on their ''Discussion pages'']]
*Add a [[WikiJournal User Group/Peer reviewers#Community review|post-publication review]] of an [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|'''existing publication''']]
**If errors are found, there are [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial_guidelines#Editing_published_works|guidelines for editing published works]]
*[[foundation:Ways_to_Give|'''Donate''' to Wikimedia Foundation]]
*'''Translate''' journal pages into other languages ([[:sv:WikiJournal_of_Medicine|example]])
*Contribute to [[WikiJournal User Group|'''other WikiJournals''']]
==Inviting a submission==
Editors may invite submissions from anyone with suitable expertise. This can act as a way of commissioning an article on a specific topic to replace or update an existing Wikipedia article or as a new article to cover a missing topic.
For content not already on display in Wikimedia projects:
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_submission_invitation|Article submission invitation template}}
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_submission_confirmation|Article submission confirmation template}}
Articles can be adapted from existing Wikipedia pages (or other Wikimedia content). These are submitted via nomination on [[w:WP:WikiJournal_article_nominations|this page on Wikipedia]]. Changes made in response to peer review are integrated back in the Wikipedia version after publication ([https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Draft:WikiJournal_of_Medicine/The_Hippocampus&oldid=1623175 example]).
:{{clickable button 2| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_submission_invitation_(wikipedia_page)|Wikipedia Article submission template}}
==Receiving a submission==
As described at the '''[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Publishing|Publishing]]''' page, the corresponding author may write the article online or email it to {{WikiJMed submissions email}}. In the latter case, the editor-in-chief then asks whether the author wants to have their works kept confidential up until publication, mentioning that processing and peer reviewing goes faster when submissions are put directly in the wiki. Still, authors may prefer confidential processing because many journals do not accept submissions that have been in the open at any time, and thereby authors may be harmed by premature disclosure of any or all of an article submission's details. The authors' choice in this matter will determine the pathway of the ensuing procedure.
===Works without need for confidentiality===
In this case, the corresponding author is asked to [[metawiki:Special:CreateAccount|create a WikiMedia account]] and upload the work directly to [[WikiJournal Preprints]].
If authors find it troublesome to upload the works themselves, editors help out in this matter. Editors may also make edits similarly to [[#Editing_published_works|editing published works]].
Submitted works should be added as a row on the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Potential_upcoming_articles|potential upcoming articles table]]. It is also recommended to mention submission at the talk page of the Wikipedia article of the same topic if such exists already.
===Confidential works===
Discussions related to confidential works need to be held privately, such as by [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board restricted email] to members of the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board]] and [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer reviewers|peer reviewers]].
===Importing from Wikipedia===
If the submission is an existing Wikipedia article, (via nomination at the [[w:wp:WikiJournal article nominations|'embassy page' in Wikipedia]]) it can be imported via the following steps:
# [[Special:Import]] the Wikipedia page to <code>WikiJournal Preprints/Title</code> (including transcluded templates; all previous revisions not necessary for large pages)
# Remove infobox, external links, and categories
# Add {{tlx|Article info}} template to article (works best with VisualEditor) and to discussion page
# Convert all links to links to point to Wikipedia by placing the [[Template:convert links|convert_links template]]:
#* at the top of the page: <code><nowiki>{{</nowiki>[[template:convert_links|subst:convert_links]]<nowiki>|</nowiki></code>
#* at the bottom of the page: <code><nowiki>}}</nowiki></code>
# Inform author by adding <code><nowiki>{{</nowiki>[[w:template:JAN_talk|subst:JAN talk]]{{!}}article name<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> to their Wikipedia talkpage
===Creating location for peer review===
Articles with no Discuss (Talk) page yet should have a link on the right hand menu to 'Create peer review location'. Clicking this should created a page that synchronises the article header information from the corresponding article (containing the preloaded text "<code><nowiki>{{#section-h:{{ARTICLEPAGENAMEE}}}}</nowiki></code>").
===Creating article metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Creating article metadata in wikidata"></span>===
Every submitted article will need a Wikidata item to hold structured metadata (authors, dates, publication status etc). If it already has a Wikidata item, it has a link on the right hand menu "QID: Q12345". If it does not yet have a Wikidata item, it can be created by clicking the link on the right hand menu: "[[wikidata:Special:NewItem|create Wikidata item]]". Check that this item includes:
*{{P|P1476}} = article title
*{{P|P31}} = {{Q|Q580922}}
*{{P|P50}} = each author's name
**{{P|P1545}} = author order
**{{P|P968}} = email of corresponding author
*{{P|P1433}} = {{Q|Q100164397}}
*{{P|P7347}} = peer review url
*{{P|P275}} = license (usually {{Q|Q20007257}})
*{{P|P793 }} = {{Q|Q76903164}} with the qualifiers
**{{P|P585}} = date
**{{P|P276}} = {{Q|Q100164397}}
**{{P|P664}} = {{WikiJournal current volume}}
====Updating author metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating author metadata in wikidata"></span>====
Additionally, for each author:
*{{P|P108}} = current employers (e.g. university or organisation)
**{{P|P6424}} or {{P|P1416}} = affiliation (e.g. department)
*{{P|P101}} = areas of expertise
*{{P|P856}} = faculty website or equivalent
*{{P|P496}} = ORCID
*{{P|P4174}} = username
===Plagiarism checking===
All submitted works should first be checked for plagiarism. The [https://tools.wmflabs.org/copyvios/?lang=en&project=wikiversity&action=search&use_engine=1&turnitin=1|WMF copyvios tool] will identify plagiarism of any online sources. Write the results on the ''[[Wikiversity:Discuss|Discuss-page]]'' of the submission, such as:
*<nowiki>{{Pass}}</nowiki> Report from [https://tools.wmflabs.org/copyvios/?lang=en&project=wikiversity&action=search&use_engine=1&turnitin=1 WMF copyvios tool]: 0% plagiarism detected <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>
*<nowiki>{{Pass}}</nowiki> Report from [https://tools.wmflabs.org/copyvios/?lang=en&project=wikiversity&action=search&use_engine=1&turnitin=1 WMF copyvios tool] flagged some false positives (not regarded as plagiarism) due to references matching wording in published articles / attributed quotes / common stock phrases. <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>
* Report from [https://tools.wmflabs.org/copyvios/?lang=en&project=wikiversity&action=search&use_engine=1&turnitin=1 WMF copyvios tool]: 70% chance of plagiarism detected: Paragraph X closeley matches similar in source Y. <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>
Cases of reverse-plagiarism from Wikipedia (other sites plagiarising a wiki) can often be identified using the [[mw:Who_Wrote_That?|Who Wrote That tool]] to identify when the overlapping text was added to Wikipedia.
==Rejecting articles==
Some submitted manuscripts may be judged by the Editorial Board as not meeting [[WikiJournal_User_Group/Publishing#Criteria_for_inclusion|criteria for publication]]. Preferably, the handling Editor will discuss this within the Editorial Board and allow sufficient time to ensure consensus.
If there is consensus within the Editorial Board that the manuscript cannot meet the criteria for inclusion, even in future revisions of the work, than it may be rejected without further peer review ("desk reject").
A manuscript might also be rejected after peer review, if the reviewers raise appropriate points which the authors do not want or are unable or unwilling to address. In such instances, if the authors do to pursue further publication, the work can be ''archived'' as no longer active, rather than rejected.
If however, a complete overhaul would later make the article suitable for further peer review (''e.g.'' manuscript initially had no or almost no supporting references, and these are later added), than the work can be resubmitted again through the original submission process.
Editors can find a sample rejection letter [[WikiJournal_User_Group/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_declined_for_publication|'''here''']].
Currently, only "nonsense" pages are deleted through the standard deletion process. Whether or not other preprints submitted via the non-confidential pathway on the wiki can be deleted upon request of the authors, is still a matter of debate. Currently, these pages would need to go through the standard [[Wikiversity:Requests for Deletion]] process.
==Arranging peer review==
Articles needing peer review can be seen at [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Potential upcoming articles|potential upcoming articles]]. Submissions require at least two invited external peer reviewers. Editorial comments and spontaneous reviews from interested readers are additionally always valued.
===Responsibility===
Each submitted work is designated to one or more "[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors#Coordinator|peer review coordinator]]" among journal editors. The review coordinator is in charge of organising the peer review invitations and monitoring the submission through the peer review process.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Review_coordinator_introduction|Introduction of review coordinators to authors template}}
===Finding peer reviewers===
Suitable peer reviewers can be found by the following methods:
# Authors may recommend suitably qualified peer reviewers to review their submitted manuscript. The peer review coordinator should look at this item in the authorship declaration form (access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]).
# Check the recent papers cited by the submission.
# Search the submission's keywords on [https://scholia.toolforge.org/topic Scholia]
# Search scholarly databases using key phrases to find recent publications (e.g. [https://scholar.google.com G-Scholar], [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ Pubmed], [https://www.scopus.com Scopus], [https://zbmath.org zbMATH Open (for Mathematics)])
# Search by field or keyword in [https://publons.com/researcher/?order_by=verified_reviews_performed_last_12_months Publons]
# Search by abstract or key phrases in [http://jane.biosemantics.org/ JANE database].
#Search by key phrases at [https://www.semanticscholar.org/ semanticscholar]
In general, prioritise contacting reviewers who've published during the last 5 years. In addition to contacting the corresponding authors, the less senior authors often have a higher response rates when contacted. The response rate of the first round of reviewer invitations can inform how many emails will be needed in the second round of invitations. It is worth considering whether to ensure that one of the peer reviewers was not specifically recommended by the authors (peer review coordinator's discretion).
[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer reviewers|Peer reviewers]] must fulfill the following criteria:
* Public contact information, or be willing to be contacted by a Wikimedia volunteer by [[Wikiversity:Peer review verification|peer review verification]] if necessary, wherein only [[Wikiversity:OTRS|trusted participants]] know the identity.
* Expertise in the specific field of the article to be reviewed and be willing to confirm their credentials if requested
* Open identity recommended, but may remain anonymous
Prospective peer reviewers should also state any conflicts of interests if applicable. For example, if the peer reviewer is an author of an article that is used as a reference in the article submission at hand, this should be mentioned among conflicts of interest.
===Inviting a peer reviewer===
Invitation emails to potential peer reviewers are tailored to the associated article submissions and reviewer and may describe why that person in particular was chosen as a reviewer. Reviews should ideally be submitted via the '''[https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6X4MbTAz_Vx4G_XDpXKE-KSa7NZsqMtJ71poJSg-mgwxy8g/viewform peer review submission form]'''. Example templates are included below.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Inviting_a_review|Peer review request template (new content)}}
===Reminding a peer reviewer===
Note that reviewers will often respond to a second email sent a week or two later even if they did not respond to the first.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Reminding_a_reviewer|Peer review reminder templates}}
===Confirming a peer reviewer===
Once a reviewer has confirmed that they are willing to review an article, the full manuscript should be provided. The email should contain the article to be reviewed as an attachment, and a link to the url if the pre-print draft is available. Be sure to check if the article ''authors'' have requested to be anonymised for the peer review.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Confirming_a_reviewer|Peer review confirmation template}}
===Importing reviews===
In case a work has already undergone a peer review by another journal or reviewing service, that peer review can count in {{ROOTPAGENAME}} if the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer_reviewers#Criteria|peer reviewer criteria]] are met. This requires that the editorial board gets to know the identity of the peer reviewer, and that the reviewer agrees to have it published under creative commons license ([[creativecommons:by-sa/3.0/|CC BY-SA]]). External peer reviews that do not fulfill these criteria should still be uploaded if possible, but do not count to the minimum of 2 independent peer reviews for each article.
==Processing received peer reviews==
=== Checking the review ===
Reviews submitted via the [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6X4MbTAz_Vx4G_XDpXKE-KSa7NZsqMtJ71poJSg-mgwxy8g/viewform peer review form] appear in the tracking spreadsheet (access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]<!-- Physierkwelt 24-06-07: I see a group with the last message from 2020, which does not redirect me to the Excel spreadsheet-->). Received peer reviews should first be checked for any disclosure of conflicts of interests, even if merely saying "none declared". Emailed peer reviews should, in addition, be checked for inclusion of:
* The title of the work that is peer reviewed
* Date of the peer review (or last date of peer review period)
* A [[Wikiversity:Uploading_files#Free_licenses|licensing statement that allows usage in Wikiversity]]
If the peer review lacks any of these criteria, a request should be sent to the peer reviewer to supplement to peer review.
===Uploading the review===
Submitted peer reviews will appear in the submitted review spreadsheet (access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]). Reviews should be added to the "discussion" page of the article after checking whether the reviewer requested anonymity. Ideally, it should be formatted with the {{Tlx|Review}} template. If peer review was submitted as a PDF, then [[Special:Upload|upload the file]] and add the link in the {{Para|pdf}} parameter.
The author should be informed by email (in the authors declaration responses spreadsheet, access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup])
::{{clickable button 2| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Reviewer_comments_complete|Reviewer comments submitted template}}
===Updating review metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating review metadata in wikidata"></span>===
When a review is posted to the article discussion page, check to see if the peer reviewer has a wikidata item (if they do not, create one). Add their QID to the {{Para|Q}} parameter on the peer review text. A button should then appear to add the information to Wikidata (you will need to have made 50 previous edits to wikidata for this button to work):
*{{P|P4032}} = peer reviewer
**{{P|P585}} = date (if reviewer doesn't request to see review again after author responses)
**{{P|P580}} = date (if reviewer requests to see review again after author responses, with {{P|P582}} when they agree their comments have been fully addressed)If the peer reviewer was anonymous, you will also need to add some information to the article's wikidata item ([[Wikidata:Q99676829|example]]):
*{{P|P4032}} = {{Q|Q4233718}}
**{{P|P101}} = areas of expertise
**{{P|P512}} = degree (if there would be any ambiguity of PhD/MD/PsyD etc)
====Updating reviewer metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating reviewer metadata in wikidata"></span>====
Additionally, each reviewer should have:
*{{P|P108}} = current employers (e.g. university or organisation)
**{{P|P6424}} or {{P|P1416}} = affiliation (e.g. department)
*{{P|P101}} = areas of expertise
*{{P|P856}} = faculty website or equivalent
*{{P|P496}} = ORCID
==Article amendments and publication decision==
=== Author response to review ===
At this stage, the authors of the article are asked to amend the issues brought up in the peer review.
# Editing the article itself to address any issues
# Responding to all comments raised by the reviewers (using the {{Tlx|Response}}template)
Once the article has been revised, the peer reviewer(s) should be notified if they have requested it in the peer reviewer form (access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]). The editor can also contact one or more peer reviewers again if they are uncertain whether an author's response fully addressed a reviewer's comments, or if the author has added significant new content that needs to be seen by a reviewer.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Second_check_by_a_reviewer_if_requested|Reviewer final check template}}
=== Editorial decision ===
An article is ready to be brought by the peer review coordinator to the editorial board for a decision once:
*Two or more external peer reviewers have given feedback on the article
*The author has addressed all reviewer's comments (peer reviewers may request to see the article again after amendments)
*The peer review coordinator always has the option to invite further reviews if they deem it useful (e.g. if initial peer reviewers disagree with one another)
{{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal of Medicine
|*Medical content intended for integration into Wikipedia should be checked for compatibility with Wikipedia's [[w:WP:MEDMOS|medical style guidelines]] and [[w:WP:MEDRS|medical referencing guidelines]]. It is recommended to post a notice at [[w:WT:MED|WikiProject Medicine]] for feedback.
}}
In such cases, the peer review coordinator should notify the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial_board|editorial board]] with a summary of their recommendation to accept, decline, or request further changes. The editorial board will then take one-two weeks to form a consensus on whether the article is suitable for publication. In trivial cases (e.g. if the author has not responded to reviewer comments) the review coordinator can make the decision to decline and inform the editorial board.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Editorial_board_publication_decision_needed|Editorial board notification template}}
==== Accepting articles ====
Articles that are approved by the editorial board for inclusion in the journal go through the following processes:
*[[#Updating_published_article_metadata_in_Wikidata|update the metadata in Wikidata]]
*[[#Page_location|Move the article page]] to "''{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Title''"
*[[#Assignment_of_digital_object_identifier|Assign a digital object identifier]] (DOI)
*[[#Inclusion_in_the_current_volume_and_issue|Include the {{tlc|Article info}} template]] at the top of the current issue of [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}]] (source page located under "[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Issues|Journal issues]]" at top menu)
*[[#PDF_files|Create the PDF file]]
*[[#Depositing_XML|Link to an XML file]]
*[[#Inform_the_authors|Inform the corresponding author]] about article acceptance
Article authors may be asked to translate the abstract into other languages they know. A translated abstract should be put in the Wikiversity of that language if available.
==== Declining articles ====
If the decision is made to decline an article, the step are similar:
* Inform the corresponding author about the decision and reasons
* Add to article's Wikidata item: {{P|P793}} = {{Q|Q98398200}} with the qualifier {{P|P585}} = date
* Add an explanation of the decision to the article's talkpage
* If the article was adapted from Wikipedia, add a link on the Wikipedia article's talkpage pointing to the review
==Inclusion of approved articles==
[[File:WikiJournal publishing instructions 1.webm|thumb|Accepted article processing steps (turn on captions)]]
=== Updating published article metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating published article metadata in wikidata"></span>===
Ensure that the article's Wikidata item is filled in ([[#Creating_article_metadata_in_Wikidata|this data]] should already be present). This will update the information everywhere else. In particular, the following must be added:
*{{P|P356}} = 10.15347/{{WJX}}/{{CURRENTYEAR}}.XXX (where XXX is the chronological order of the work for this year)
*{{P|P31}} = {{Q|Q13442814}}
*{{P|P1433}} = {{Q|{{WJQ}}}}
*{{P|P577}} = date
*{{P|P478}} = {{WikiJournal current volume}} (for {{CURRENTYEAR}}; this is updated every year)
*{{P|P433}} = 1
*{{P|P304}} = the chronological order of the work for this year
*{{P|P953}} = URL of final PDF
*{{P|P1104}} = number of pages in the final PDF
Additionally, ideally information should be added ([[Wikidata:Q96317242|example]]):
*{{P|P921}} = main subject
*{{P|P4510}} = methods/techniques/conceptual frameworks
*{{P|P2860}} = references cited
===Page location===
[[Meta:Help:Moving a page|Move]] the page from <code>WikiJournal_Preprints/Title</code> to <code>{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Title</code> (this will also automatically update in the article's Wikidata record).
===Inclusion in the current volume and issue===
Once the publication date is added on Wikidata, published articles will automatically appear in the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Volume_{{WikiJournal current volume}}_Issue_1|current journal issue]] at midnight UTC (added by [[User:WikiJournalBot]]).
===Assignment of digital object identifier===
Assignment of a DOI to an article is done through [[Wikipedia:Crossref|Crossref]] (log-in details in [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]) via their [http://www.crossref.org/webDeposit web deposit form], using the following metadata:
Data Type Selection: Journal
<u>Journal information</u>
:Title: '''''{{ROOTPAGENAME}}'''''
:Abbr.: '''''{{Wiki J Xyz}}'''''
:Journal DOI: 10.15347/'''{{WJX|wjx|lc=true}}'''
:URL: '''{{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal User Group|journal URL|[http://www.{{WikiJXyz}}.org http://www.{{WikiJXyz}}.org]}}/''' (the final '''/''' is necessary)
:Print ISSN: (leave blank)
:Elect ISSN: '''{{WikiJournal ISSN nodash}}'''
:Volume: '''{{WikiJournal current volume}}''' (for {{CURRENTYEAR}}; this is updated every year)
:Issue: '''1''' (updated every 6-15 articles)
:Issue DOI: (leave blank)
:Issue URL: (leave blank)
:Publication dates;
:Type: print: (leave blank)
:Type: online;
:Year: '''{{CURRENTYEAR}}'''
:Month: (leave blank)
:Day: (leave blank)
Continue to "Add article", and enter article-specific details.
<u>Article information</u>
:Title: '''title of article'''
:DOI: '''10.15347/{{WJX|wjx|lc=true}}/{{CURRENTYEAR}}.XXX''' (where XXX is the chronological order of the work for this year)
:URL: '''full url of article'''
:Contributors: '''add each author and their ORCiD''' (affiliations are not needed).
:First page: '''X''' (where X is the chronological order of the work for this year)
:Last page: (leave blank)
Whenever metadata are updated, all applicable fields need to be filled in again and previous data is over-written.
<u>User information</u>
:Username: see [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]
:Password: see [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]
:e-mail: '''{{ {{WikiJXyz}}_general_contact_email}}'''
===Submitting reference metadata===
Logging links to an article's references is also done through [[Wikipedia:Crossref|Crossref]] (log-in details in [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]) via their [https://apps.crossref.org/SimpleTextQuery Simple text form]:
*Copy and paste all the references from the article over to the [https://apps.crossref.org/SimpleTextQuery Crossref form] and click 'Submit'
*Scroll down to the bottom of the generated page and click 'Deposit'
*Include the information:
:Email address: '''{{ {{WikiJXyz}}_general_contact_email}}'''
:Parent DOI: DOI of the WikiJournal article for which you are adding references
:Username: see [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]
:Password: see [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]
===Registering article in DOAJ===
Individual articles can be indexed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (log-in details in [https://groups.google.com/g/wikijournal-technical technical editorial googlegroup]) through their [https://doaj.org/publisher/metadata article metadata form].
===Depositing XML===
When a DOI has been obtained from Crossref and added to the article, a link will appear on the right of the article to 'Deposit' the XML. Clicking that link will create an /XML subpage containing the preloaded text "<code><nowiki>{{#section-h:{{subst:#titleparts:{{subst:PAGENAMEE}}|</nowiki>'''volume'''{{!}}'''issue'''<nowiki>}}}}</nowiki></code>" which, when saved, will format the XML metadata automatically ([[WikiJournal of Medicine/The Cerebellum/XML|Example]]). Alternatively, an XML-file will be sent to {{{{WikiJXyz}} general contact email}} which can be pasted into the /XML subpage. One saved, the link on the right of the article will read 'Download' in stead of 'Deposit'.
===Inform the authors===
Authors should be notified with the article's acceptance and its doi. Authors can assist in several of the post-acceptance steps if they choose by [[#PDF files|formatting the PDF]] and/or [[#Wikipedia inclusion|integrating content into Wikipedia]].
Otherwise a journal editor should do these.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_accepted_for_publication|Article acceptance template}}
==PDF files==
===Creation of PDF files===
[[File:WikiJournal PDF formatting.webm|thumb|Accepted article PDF formatting (turn on captions)]]
# First, the article's {{tlx|Article info}} template should be checked to make sure that the information is up to date
# The PDF should be formatted using the standardised blank template (MS word 2013 or later recommended)
#: {{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal User Group
|Article formatting templates (.docx): [{{WikiJMed_PDF_template}} WikiJMed] / [{{WikiJSci_PDF_template}} WikiJSci] / [{{WikiJHum_PDF_template}} WikiJHum]
|{{clickable button 2| url={{{{WikiJXyz}}_PDF_template}} | Accepted article formatting template (.docx)}}
}}
# Copy the article's material from the wiki page into the docx template
#* Text sections and publication data (e.g. date) are copied and pasted from the wiki page into the docx template. Pasting with the "Merge formatting" option should keep source formatting but use the font and text size of the template.
#* Wiki links and hyperlinks to references should be preserved when copying from the wiki page into the docx template (in blue color but not underscored).
#* Figures should be pasted from the full-resolution versions on Wikimedia commons (not the lower-resolution previews shows on article wiki pages)
# Use Ctrl+H to find-replace <code>space</code> with <code>space</code> (WikiMarkup often includes non-breaking spaces)
# Remove "↑ Jump to" from reference list
# File > Options > Advanced > Image Size and Quality > "Do Not Compress images in file" (retain full-resolution images)
# File > Save as > docx
# File > Save as > PDF (avoid [[Wikipedia:Portable_Document_Format#Software|PDF "printing"]] since this can lead to misformatting)
# Final PDF chacks: zoom in on figures to confirm resolution, test a selection of hyperlinks, look for any misformatted or overlapping text, and compare overall formatting against a previously published article.
===Uploading PDF files to the journal===
#Upload the docx file to {{#switch:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}
|WikiJournal User Group = [https://drive.google.com/open?id=1oi98pP7oO9CyAeQUFOJDr4pj3EkcImQS WikiJSci docx folder] / [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4LQzkvkbO9YYlZRZDUxVlNtdW8 WikiJMed docx folder] / [https://drive.google.com/open?id=1gvpVH8_ajSKiQ2rp2eUjuAG6pDMvAdUl WikiJHum docx folder]
|WikiJournal of Medicine = [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4LQzkvkbO9YYlZRZDUxVlNtdW8 WikiJMed docx folder]
|WikiJournal of Science = [https://drive.google.com/open?id=1oi98pP7oO9CyAeQUFOJDr4pj3EkcImQS WikiJSci docx folder]
|WikiJournal of Humanities = [https://drive.google.com/open?id=1gvpVH8_ajSKiQ2rp2eUjuAG6pDMvAdUl WikiJHum docx folder]
}}
#[[Special:Upload|Upload the PDF file to Wikiversity]]. Name the PDF the exact same as the article title (omit any <code>:</code> characters, since they can't be included in filenames)
#*On the file page, in stead of {{tlc|Information}}, use <code><nowiki>{{subst:InformationQ|Q1234568}}</nowiki></code> using the article's Wikidata QID.
===Updating PDF files===
When a minor update to an article is needed, the docx version (linked from the bottom of the wiki page) should be used as the starting template, with changes copied across from the article's wiki page.
For major updates, it may be best to create the document again from scratch using the blank [{{{{WikiJXyz}}_PDF_template}} .docx template].
The updated PDF can be uploaded by going to the <code>File:[Article title].pdf</code> page and clicking "Upload a new version of this file".
==Wikipedia inclusion==
Different [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Publishing#Publication_formats|types of articles]] have differing potential for Wikipedia integration. Articles that review and summarise existing knowledge from other [[w:wp:Reliable sources|reliable sources]] can be copied as content into Wikipedia. [[w:wp:Original research|Original research]] cannot be copied into Wikipedia. Any content integrated into Wikipedia will then be updatable over time in the same manner as any [[Wikipedia:Ownership of content|other Wikipedia content]]. Please note that it is up to the consensus of the Wikipedia editor community as to whether to accept, edit or omit any added content.
===As content===
*Articles written in an encyclopedia review format may be fully copied into Wikipedia. Such Wikipedia articles also should also have the <code>{{[[w:template:Academic peer reviewed|Academic peer reviewed]]}}</code> template added at the beginning of their reference section. ([[wikipedia:Cerebellum|example]])
*Short articles written in a mini review format may be added as a section of a relevant Wikipedia article and should be added to the category [[:wikipedia:category:Wikipedia articles with sections published in {{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}]]. ([[wikipedia:Gene#Structure and function|example]])
*Images should be added to relevant articles, as long as they [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:No original research#Original images|do not illustrate unpublished ideas or arguments]]. The WikiJournal article should be [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Citing sources|cited as a reference]] in the image caption in Wikipedia. ([[wikipedia:Steroidogenic enzyme|example]])
Only encyclopedic content should be integrated into the encyclopedia. In all cases, any [[w:wp:OR|discussion, speculation or outlook sections]] should be omitted from the version integrated into Wikipedia.
;Process
*The author(s) of the WikiJournal article should be invited to perform this integration.
*The edit summaries should ideally include a link to the work in WikiJournal and specify the CC license (for at least the first edit summary), E.g.:
*:"<code><nowiki>Adding/Updating section XYZ from [[v:</nowiki>{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}<nowiki>/...]], [[doi:10.15347/</nowiki>{{WJX|wjx|lc=true}}/{{CURRENTYEAR}}<nowiki>.XXX]] under a CC-BY-SA license</nowiki></code>"<br> Note: check relevant section, link, DOI, and license
*Changes in the material to adapt to Wikipedia's format may include:
** Decide if any parts of the WikiJournal article need to be omited from the Wikipedia page (original research / opinions / perspectives / conclusions)
** If a current Wikipedia page on the topic already exists decide which parts to keep
** If an image appears only in Wikiversity but not in the Wikipedia article, move it to Wikimedia Commons: [[Commons:Commons:Moving files to Commons|Moving files to Commons]]
** Remove <code>w:</code> prefixes in links (tidier, but not strictly necessary)
** Replace <code><nowiki>[[xyz|xyz]]</nowiki></code> with <code><nowiki>[[xyz]]</nowiki></code> (tidier, but not strictly necessary)
* Add to the Wikidata item: {{P|P793}} = {{Q|Q17853087}} with the qualifiers
**{{P|P585}} = date
**{{P|P4969}} = {{Q|Q52}}
**{{P|P2699}} = URL of Wikipedia page
* Add the <code><nowiki>{{</nowiki>[[w:template:Academic peer reviewed|Academic peer reviewed]]<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> template in the References and at the top of the Talk page
==Scientific misconduct==
Any person suspecting [[Wikipedia:Scientific misconduct|scientific misconduct]] of any article should [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Contact|contact the editor-in-chief]] or an [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editors#Editorial_board_members|editorial board members]], who in turn should bring any suspected scientific misconduct to the knowledge of the entire board. [[Wikipedia:Committee on Publication Ethics|COPE]] has flowcharts for different types of situations: [https://publicationethics.org/resources/flowcharts].
Upon suspected scientific misconduct by an author or reviewer, the next step is generally that an editor contacts the corresponding author or reviewer to ask for an explanation. COPE has examples of letters to authors in such cases [http://publicationethics.org/resources/ sample-letters]. Such letters should not accuse authors or reviewers, but should rather state the facts clearly, and allow them to explain their actions before coming to a decision.
;See also
[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Ethics_statement#Contact_and_dispute_resolution|Ethics statement]]
==Adding and removing journal editors==
===Adding editorial board members===
Once an editorial board member applicant has clear consensus ([[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Bylaws#Section 3. Appointment|relevant bylaws]]), they can be accepted to the board by the following steps.
# Add this text <code><nowiki>{{subst:</nowiki>[[Template:WikiJournal accepted board member|WikiJournal accepted board member]]<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> underneath their application on the [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board applications page]], which will paste these points as a checklist <section begin=checklist_board/>
# [[{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_board_member|Send a welcome message and confirm their preferred email address]] (usually in their provided website link, else via [[Special:EmailUser]])<br>{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_board_member|Onboarding email template}}
# If they do not yet have a Wikidata item, create one
# Copy their information over to [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board page]] using the {{tlx|Editor info}} template (including their Wikidata QID)
# The above step will create a button that will update the [[d:{{WJQboard|default=Q75674277}}|relevant editorial board]] on Wikidata
# Direct-add them to the {{WJX}}board mailing list ([https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!managemembers/{{WJX}}board/add via this link]) which will grant them access to the private page only visible to board members
# Welcome them at the {{WJX}}board mailing list so that they are informed
# Finally, move the application to [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editors/Archive_{{CURRENTYEAR}}|this year's archive page]]
<section end=checklist_board/>
===Removing editorial board members===
Members can be removed from the editorial board by their own request (either completely, or changing to be an associate editor) or can be voted out ([[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Bylaws#Section_3._Removal relevant bylaws]]).
# Removal from the {{WJX}}board mailing list ([https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!managemembers/{{WJX}}board/members/active via this link])
# Moving their information from the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board page]] to the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial_board#Previous_board_members|Previous board members section]]
# Removal of any social media accesses that they were granted
# Send a confirmation email to them and cc in the {{WJX}}board mailing list so that they and the board are informed
===Adding associate editors===
Associate editors are accepted by consensus of the editorial board, and their addition follows these steps
# Add this text <code><nowiki>{{subst:</nowiki>[[Template:WikiJournal accepted associate editor|WikiJournal accepted associate editor]]<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> underneath their application on the [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors|associate editor applications page]], which will paste these points as a checklist <section begin=checklist_assoc/>
# [[{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_associate_editor|Send a welcome message and confirm their preferred email address]] (usually in their provided website link, else via [[Special:EmailUser]])<br>{{clickable button 2
|url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_associate_editor|Onboarding email template}}
# If they do not yet have a Wikidata item, create one
# Copy their information over to the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors|associate editor page]] using the {{tlx|Editor info}} template (including Wikidata QID)
# The above step will create a button that will update the [[d:{{WJQassoc|default=Q104167540}}|relevant associate editor list]] on Wikidata
# Email the {{WJX}}board mailing list so that they are informed
# Finally, move the application to [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editors/Archive_{{<includeonly>subst:</includeonly>CURRENTYEAR}}|this year's archive page]] <section end=checklist_assoc/>
Note that associate editors are ''not'' added to the {{WJX}}board mailing list and so do not gain access to journal passwords or confidential information.
===Removing associate editors===
Members can be removed from the associate editor team by their own request, they can request to join the editorial board, or can be voted out ([[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Bylaws#Section_3._Removal relevant bylaws]]).
# Removal of their information from the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors|associate editor page]]
# Removal of any social media accesses that they were granted
# Send a confirmation email to them and cc in the {{WJX}}board mailing list so that they and the board are informed
===Updating editor metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating editor metadata in Wikidata"></span>===
Add to the relevant editorial team ({{Q|{{WJQboard}}}} or {{Q|{{WJQassoc}}}}):
*{{P|P98}} = editor
**{{P|P580}} = date
Additionally, to each editor:
*{{P|P108}} = current employers (e.g. university or organisation)
**{{P|P6424}} or {{P|P1416}} = affiliation (e.g. department)
*{{P|P101}} = areas of expertise
*{{P|P856}} = faculty website or equivalent
*{{P|P496}} = ORCID
*{{P|P4174}} = username
==Social media accounts==
===Adding admins===
Editors interested in being an admin for a journal's [https://www.facebook.com/{{WikiJXyz|default=WikiJSci}} Facebook] and [https://twitter.com/{{WikiJXyz|default=WikiJSci}} Twitter] accounts should contact the Editor in Chief and/or current social media team. Admins can be either added directly by the EiC, or by consensus of the current social media admins. New admins should be added to the [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/wikijournal-social-media social media admin google group].
Due to the very public nature of social media, there is a two-week probationary period before being being given account passwords:
* [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd7UOiidYOAzkBfAVBe8eWwE5mbmvRF6wR3NDfTgnj0dDdBFQ/viewform Suggest 5 social media posts] over a 2 week period
* [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd7UOiidYOAzkBfAVBe8eWwE5mbmvRF6wR3NDfTgnj0dDdBFQ/viewform Suggest 10 accounts] to follow
Twitter is especially sensitive, since a single account password is shared, whereas for Facebook users can be added as having 'editor' permissions to post content.
===Recommended use of social media===
General guidelines:
*Be sure anything shared/reposted aligns with journal principles
*When citing a publication, always include the doi
*Include an image whenever possible
Examples posts:
*A catchy summary of published WikiJournal article
*Retweet article summary from other WikiJournal that may be relevant to audience
*Any info from WikiJournal site (e.g. aims / scope / editor info etc)
*Relevant news articles from other outlets
*Retweet relevant posts (about e.g. open access, Wikipedia, outreach, science communications)
[[Category:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:WikiJournal guidelines]]
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/* Assignment of digital object identifier */ update instructions
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<noinclude>{{WikiJ top menu}}</noinclude>
This page describes the steps required to process an article through submission, peer review, formatting and publication.
{{TOClimit|1}}
==Editing published works==
[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer reviewers#Community review|Community peer review comments]] can always be left for articles before or after publication. For articles dual-published into Wikipedia, readers are also encouraged to directly improve or comment on the equivalent Wikipedia pages. Both authors and associate editors may correct spelling errors, minor grammatical errors and inconsistencies in reference formatting even for published works. Technical edits to pages are also allowed. On the other hand, a change in the meaning of the main text may be reverted since it may require renewed peer review and author approval. Suggestions for updates of the main text of published articles may be created as separate drafts that are re-submitted to undergo peer review before being used to update the article. It is recommended to state any conflicts of interest (or simply "none stated") when proposing changes to the main content of published articles. These requirements are not needed if the edits are obviously spelling or grammar corrections.
==How to contribute==
===Help run the journal===
* Apply to be on the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|'''editorial board''']] to steer the journal's direction
* Apply to be an '''[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors|associate editor]]''' to help organise peer review, formatting and Wikipedia-integration of [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Potential upcoming articles|potential upcoming articles]]
* Apply to become the '''[[meta:WikiJournal User Group/Reports|treasurer]]''' of the journals
* [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Be bold|'''Be bold''']] with changes that you think will improve the journal
===Keep in touch===
*Join the [{{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal User Group|https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikijournal-en|https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/{{WikiJXyz}}}} '''public mailing list''']. This is open for anyone to email and read
*Put the '''[[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|main discussion page]]''' on your [[Help:Watchlist|watchlist]] to get updates on the project
*Add other journal project pages to your [[Help:Watchlist|watchlist]] to monitor discussion page questions or any vandalism
*Follow our accounts on [https://www.facebook.com/{{WikiJXyz|default=WikiJSci}} '''Facebook'''] or [https://twitter.com/{{WikiJXyz|default=WikiJSci}} '''Twitter''']
*Share your ideas of what the journal could be like in the '''[[Meta:WikiJournal|future as separate Wikimedia project]]'''
===Outreach===
{{#switch:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal of Science|WikiJournal of Medicine=[[File:{{ROOTPAGENAME}} Poster.pdf|thumb|Poster for noticeboards, tearooms and mailing lists]]}}
Outreach to potential contributors is essential for the journal, and the target audience may include (but is not limited to) scholars and health professionals
*The journal may be '''presented''' at scholarly gatherings ([https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1SOGLdK-iDrW3id-oi3O0oFYGRPughkkt7G0IkHbxL98/edit Example presentation])
*Many '''scholars''' have written [[Wikipedia:Thesis|theses]] that are not published, but sections of which could very well fit as an article
*Also, university faculties {{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal of Medicine| and medical schools}} may be asked to present the journal to their '''students''', as a form of teaching about online information
**{{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal of Medicine|Medical students|Students}} are often required to complete a research project or literature review as a part of their studies, parts or all of which could be eligible for submission
*Writing (or inviting scholars to write) '''articles''' about open access publishing, highlighting the journal as an example (e.g. [https://aoasg.org.au/2017/09/05/open-access-medical-content-and-the-worlds-largest-encyclopedia/ AOASG] and [https://theconversation.com/why-getting-medical-information-from-wikipedia-isnt-always-a-bad-idea-59708 ''The Conversation''])
*Notify '''Wikipedia users''' (or editors at [https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Our_projects other Wikimedia projects]) who may be interested in the project on their talk pages ([[Wikipedia:User_talk:AhMedRMaaty#Wikiversity_Journal_of_Medicine.2C_an_open_access_peer_reviewed_journal_with_no_charges.2C_invites_you_to_participate|Example entry]])
*Coordinate and collaborate with '''other journals or organizations''' with similar scope and reaching out to their users/subscribers through their mailing list
*Spread the word with a [[:File:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}_Poster.pdf|poster]]
===Improve systems and procedures===
*Assist in preparing the [[WikiJournal_User_Group/Applications|applications for the journal to be listed]] in [[w:List of academic databases and search engines|academic databases and search engines]].
===Other===
*[[WikiJournal Preprints|'''Submit''']] an article to WikiJournal. See also [[WikiJournal User Group/Publishing|publishing guidelines]].
*Check on [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Potential upcoming articles|'''potential upcoming articles''']] and [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer reviewers#Community review|comment on their ''Discussion pages'']]
*Add a [[WikiJournal User Group/Peer reviewers#Community review|post-publication review]] of an [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|'''existing publication''']]
**If errors are found, there are [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial_guidelines#Editing_published_works|guidelines for editing published works]]
*[[foundation:Ways_to_Give|'''Donate''' to Wikimedia Foundation]]
*'''Translate''' journal pages into other languages ([[:sv:WikiJournal_of_Medicine|example]])
*Contribute to [[WikiJournal User Group|'''other WikiJournals''']]
==Inviting a submission==
Editors may invite submissions from anyone with suitable expertise. This can act as a way of commissioning an article on a specific topic to replace or update an existing Wikipedia article or as a new article to cover a missing topic.
For content not already on display in Wikimedia projects:
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_submission_invitation|Article submission invitation template}}
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_submission_confirmation|Article submission confirmation template}}
Articles can be adapted from existing Wikipedia pages (or other Wikimedia content). These are submitted via nomination on [[w:WP:WikiJournal_article_nominations|this page on Wikipedia]]. Changes made in response to peer review are integrated back in the Wikipedia version after publication ([https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Draft:WikiJournal_of_Medicine/The_Hippocampus&oldid=1623175 example]).
:{{clickable button 2| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_submission_invitation_(wikipedia_page)|Wikipedia Article submission template}}
==Receiving a submission==
As described at the '''[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Publishing|Publishing]]''' page, the corresponding author may write the article online or email it to {{WikiJMed submissions email}}. In the latter case, the editor-in-chief then asks whether the author wants to have their works kept confidential up until publication, mentioning that processing and peer reviewing goes faster when submissions are put directly in the wiki. Still, authors may prefer confidential processing because many journals do not accept submissions that have been in the open at any time, and thereby authors may be harmed by premature disclosure of any or all of an article submission's details. The authors' choice in this matter will determine the pathway of the ensuing procedure.
===Works without need for confidentiality===
In this case, the corresponding author is asked to [[metawiki:Special:CreateAccount|create a WikiMedia account]] and upload the work directly to [[WikiJournal Preprints]].
If authors find it troublesome to upload the works themselves, editors help out in this matter. Editors may also make edits similarly to [[#Editing_published_works|editing published works]].
Submitted works should be added as a row on the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Potential_upcoming_articles|potential upcoming articles table]]. It is also recommended to mention submission at the talk page of the Wikipedia article of the same topic if such exists already.
===Confidential works===
Discussions related to confidential works need to be held privately, such as by [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board restricted email] to members of the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board]] and [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer reviewers|peer reviewers]].
===Importing from Wikipedia===
If the submission is an existing Wikipedia article, (via nomination at the [[w:wp:WikiJournal article nominations|'embassy page' in Wikipedia]]) it can be imported via the following steps:
# [[Special:Import]] the Wikipedia page to <code>WikiJournal Preprints/Title</code> (including transcluded templates; all previous revisions not necessary for large pages)
# Remove infobox, external links, and categories
# Add {{tlx|Article info}} template to article (works best with VisualEditor) and to discussion page
# Convert all links to links to point to Wikipedia by placing the [[Template:convert links|convert_links template]]:
#* at the top of the page: <code><nowiki>{{</nowiki>[[template:convert_links|subst:convert_links]]<nowiki>|</nowiki></code>
#* at the bottom of the page: <code><nowiki>}}</nowiki></code>
# Inform author by adding <code><nowiki>{{</nowiki>[[w:template:JAN_talk|subst:JAN talk]]{{!}}article name<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> to their Wikipedia talkpage
===Creating location for peer review===
Articles with no Discuss (Talk) page yet should have a link on the right hand menu to 'Create peer review location'. Clicking this should created a page that synchronises the article header information from the corresponding article (containing the preloaded text "<code><nowiki>{{#section-h:{{ARTICLEPAGENAMEE}}}}</nowiki></code>").
===Creating article metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Creating article metadata in wikidata"></span>===
Every submitted article will need a Wikidata item to hold structured metadata (authors, dates, publication status etc). If it already has a Wikidata item, it has a link on the right hand menu "QID: Q12345". If it does not yet have a Wikidata item, it can be created by clicking the link on the right hand menu: "[[wikidata:Special:NewItem|create Wikidata item]]". Check that this item includes:
*{{P|P1476}} = article title
*{{P|P31}} = {{Q|Q580922}}
*{{P|P50}} = each author's name
**{{P|P1545}} = author order
**{{P|P968}} = email of corresponding author
*{{P|P1433}} = {{Q|Q100164397}}
*{{P|P7347}} = peer review url
*{{P|P275}} = license (usually {{Q|Q20007257}})
*{{P|P793 }} = {{Q|Q76903164}} with the qualifiers
**{{P|P585}} = date
**{{P|P276}} = {{Q|Q100164397}}
**{{P|P664}} = {{WikiJournal current volume}}
====Updating author metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating author metadata in wikidata"></span>====
Additionally, for each author:
*{{P|P108}} = current employers (e.g. university or organisation)
**{{P|P6424}} or {{P|P1416}} = affiliation (e.g. department)
*{{P|P101}} = areas of expertise
*{{P|P856}} = faculty website or equivalent
*{{P|P496}} = ORCID
*{{P|P4174}} = username
===Plagiarism checking===
All submitted works should first be checked for plagiarism. The [https://tools.wmflabs.org/copyvios/?lang=en&project=wikiversity&action=search&use_engine=1&turnitin=1|WMF copyvios tool] will identify plagiarism of any online sources. Write the results on the ''[[Wikiversity:Discuss|Discuss-page]]'' of the submission, such as:
*<nowiki>{{Pass}}</nowiki> Report from [https://tools.wmflabs.org/copyvios/?lang=en&project=wikiversity&action=search&use_engine=1&turnitin=1 WMF copyvios tool]: 0% plagiarism detected <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>
*<nowiki>{{Pass}}</nowiki> Report from [https://tools.wmflabs.org/copyvios/?lang=en&project=wikiversity&action=search&use_engine=1&turnitin=1 WMF copyvios tool] flagged some false positives (not regarded as plagiarism) due to references matching wording in published articles / attributed quotes / common stock phrases. <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>
* Report from [https://tools.wmflabs.org/copyvios/?lang=en&project=wikiversity&action=search&use_engine=1&turnitin=1 WMF copyvios tool]: 70% chance of plagiarism detected: Paragraph X closeley matches similar in source Y. <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>
Cases of reverse-plagiarism from Wikipedia (other sites plagiarising a wiki) can often be identified using the [[mw:Who_Wrote_That?|Who Wrote That tool]] to identify when the overlapping text was added to Wikipedia.
==Rejecting articles==
Some submitted manuscripts may be judged by the Editorial Board as not meeting [[WikiJournal_User_Group/Publishing#Criteria_for_inclusion|criteria for publication]]. Preferably, the handling Editor will discuss this within the Editorial Board and allow sufficient time to ensure consensus.
If there is consensus within the Editorial Board that the manuscript cannot meet the criteria for inclusion, even in future revisions of the work, than it may be rejected without further peer review ("desk reject").
A manuscript might also be rejected after peer review, if the reviewers raise appropriate points which the authors do not want or are unable or unwilling to address. In such instances, if the authors do to pursue further publication, the work can be ''archived'' as no longer active, rather than rejected.
If however, a complete overhaul would later make the article suitable for further peer review (''e.g.'' manuscript initially had no or almost no supporting references, and these are later added), than the work can be resubmitted again through the original submission process.
Editors can find a sample rejection letter [[WikiJournal_User_Group/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_declined_for_publication|'''here''']].
Currently, only "nonsense" pages are deleted through the standard deletion process. Whether or not other preprints submitted via the non-confidential pathway on the wiki can be deleted upon request of the authors, is still a matter of debate. Currently, these pages would need to go through the standard [[Wikiversity:Requests for Deletion]] process.
==Arranging peer review==
Articles needing peer review can be seen at [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Potential upcoming articles|potential upcoming articles]]. Submissions require at least two invited external peer reviewers. Editorial comments and spontaneous reviews from interested readers are additionally always valued.
===Responsibility===
Each submitted work is designated to one or more "[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors#Coordinator|peer review coordinator]]" among journal editors. The review coordinator is in charge of organising the peer review invitations and monitoring the submission through the peer review process.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Review_coordinator_introduction|Introduction of review coordinators to authors template}}
===Finding peer reviewers===
Suitable peer reviewers can be found by the following methods:
# Authors may recommend suitably qualified peer reviewers to review their submitted manuscript. The peer review coordinator should look at this item in the authorship declaration form (access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]).
# Check the recent papers cited by the submission.
# Search the submission's keywords on [https://scholia.toolforge.org/topic Scholia]
# Search scholarly databases using key phrases to find recent publications (e.g. [https://scholar.google.com G-Scholar], [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ Pubmed], [https://www.scopus.com Scopus], [https://zbmath.org zbMATH Open (for Mathematics)])
# Search by field or keyword in [https://publons.com/researcher/?order_by=verified_reviews_performed_last_12_months Publons]
# Search by abstract or key phrases in [http://jane.biosemantics.org/ JANE database].
#Search by key phrases at [https://www.semanticscholar.org/ semanticscholar]
In general, prioritise contacting reviewers who've published during the last 5 years. In addition to contacting the corresponding authors, the less senior authors often have a higher response rates when contacted. The response rate of the first round of reviewer invitations can inform how many emails will be needed in the second round of invitations. It is worth considering whether to ensure that one of the peer reviewers was not specifically recommended by the authors (peer review coordinator's discretion).
[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer reviewers|Peer reviewers]] must fulfill the following criteria:
* Public contact information, or be willing to be contacted by a Wikimedia volunteer by [[Wikiversity:Peer review verification|peer review verification]] if necessary, wherein only [[Wikiversity:OTRS|trusted participants]] know the identity.
* Expertise in the specific field of the article to be reviewed and be willing to confirm their credentials if requested
* Open identity recommended, but may remain anonymous
Prospective peer reviewers should also state any conflicts of interests if applicable. For example, if the peer reviewer is an author of an article that is used as a reference in the article submission at hand, this should be mentioned among conflicts of interest.
===Inviting a peer reviewer===
Invitation emails to potential peer reviewers are tailored to the associated article submissions and reviewer and may describe why that person in particular was chosen as a reviewer. Reviews should ideally be submitted via the '''[https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6X4MbTAz_Vx4G_XDpXKE-KSa7NZsqMtJ71poJSg-mgwxy8g/viewform peer review submission form]'''. Example templates are included below.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Inviting_a_review|Peer review request template (new content)}}
===Reminding a peer reviewer===
Note that reviewers will often respond to a second email sent a week or two later even if they did not respond to the first.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Reminding_a_reviewer|Peer review reminder templates}}
===Confirming a peer reviewer===
Once a reviewer has confirmed that they are willing to review an article, the full manuscript should be provided. The email should contain the article to be reviewed as an attachment, and a link to the url if the pre-print draft is available. Be sure to check if the article ''authors'' have requested to be anonymised for the peer review.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Confirming_a_reviewer|Peer review confirmation template}}
===Importing reviews===
In case a work has already undergone a peer review by another journal or reviewing service, that peer review can count in {{ROOTPAGENAME}} if the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer_reviewers#Criteria|peer reviewer criteria]] are met. This requires that the editorial board gets to know the identity of the peer reviewer, and that the reviewer agrees to have it published under creative commons license ([[creativecommons:by-sa/3.0/|CC BY-SA]]). External peer reviews that do not fulfill these criteria should still be uploaded if possible, but do not count to the minimum of 2 independent peer reviews for each article.
==Processing received peer reviews==
=== Checking the review ===
Reviews submitted via the [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6X4MbTAz_Vx4G_XDpXKE-KSa7NZsqMtJ71poJSg-mgwxy8g/viewform peer review form] appear in the tracking spreadsheet (access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]<!-- Physierkwelt 24-06-07: I see a group with the last message from 2020, which does not redirect me to the Excel spreadsheet-->). Received peer reviews should first be checked for any disclosure of conflicts of interests, even if merely saying "none declared". Emailed peer reviews should, in addition, be checked for inclusion of:
* The title of the work that is peer reviewed
* Date of the peer review (or last date of peer review period)
* A [[Wikiversity:Uploading_files#Free_licenses|licensing statement that allows usage in Wikiversity]]
If the peer review lacks any of these criteria, a request should be sent to the peer reviewer to supplement to peer review.
===Uploading the review===
Submitted peer reviews will appear in the submitted review spreadsheet (access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]). Reviews should be added to the "discussion" page of the article after checking whether the reviewer requested anonymity. Ideally, it should be formatted with the {{Tlx|Review}} template. If peer review was submitted as a PDF, then [[Special:Upload|upload the file]] and add the link in the {{Para|pdf}} parameter.
The author should be informed by email (in the authors declaration responses spreadsheet, access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup])
::{{clickable button 2| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Reviewer_comments_complete|Reviewer comments submitted template}}
===Updating review metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating review metadata in wikidata"></span>===
When a review is posted to the article discussion page, check to see if the peer reviewer has a wikidata item (if they do not, create one). Add their QID to the {{Para|Q}} parameter on the peer review text. A button should then appear to add the information to Wikidata (you will need to have made 50 previous edits to wikidata for this button to work):
*{{P|P4032}} = peer reviewer
**{{P|P585}} = date (if reviewer doesn't request to see review again after author responses)
**{{P|P580}} = date (if reviewer requests to see review again after author responses, with {{P|P582}} when they agree their comments have been fully addressed)If the peer reviewer was anonymous, you will also need to add some information to the article's wikidata item ([[Wikidata:Q99676829|example]]):
*{{P|P4032}} = {{Q|Q4233718}}
**{{P|P101}} = areas of expertise
**{{P|P512}} = degree (if there would be any ambiguity of PhD/MD/PsyD etc)
====Updating reviewer metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating reviewer metadata in wikidata"></span>====
Additionally, each reviewer should have:
*{{P|P108}} = current employers (e.g. university or organisation)
**{{P|P6424}} or {{P|P1416}} = affiliation (e.g. department)
*{{P|P101}} = areas of expertise
*{{P|P856}} = faculty website or equivalent
*{{P|P496}} = ORCID
==Article amendments and publication decision==
=== Author response to review ===
At this stage, the authors of the article are asked to amend the issues brought up in the peer review.
# Editing the article itself to address any issues
# Responding to all comments raised by the reviewers (using the {{Tlx|Response}}template)
Once the article has been revised, the peer reviewer(s) should be notified if they have requested it in the peer reviewer form (access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]). The editor can also contact one or more peer reviewers again if they are uncertain whether an author's response fully addressed a reviewer's comments, or if the author has added significant new content that needs to be seen by a reviewer.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Second_check_by_a_reviewer_if_requested|Reviewer final check template}}
=== Editorial decision ===
An article is ready to be brought by the peer review coordinator to the editorial board for a decision once:
*Two or more external peer reviewers have given feedback on the article
*The author has addressed all reviewer's comments (peer reviewers may request to see the article again after amendments)
*The peer review coordinator always has the option to invite further reviews if they deem it useful (e.g. if initial peer reviewers disagree with one another)
{{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal of Medicine
|*Medical content intended for integration into Wikipedia should be checked for compatibility with Wikipedia's [[w:WP:MEDMOS|medical style guidelines]] and [[w:WP:MEDRS|medical referencing guidelines]]. It is recommended to post a notice at [[w:WT:MED|WikiProject Medicine]] for feedback.
}}
In such cases, the peer review coordinator should notify the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial_board|editorial board]] with a summary of their recommendation to accept, decline, or request further changes. The editorial board will then take one-two weeks to form a consensus on whether the article is suitable for publication. In trivial cases (e.g. if the author has not responded to reviewer comments) the review coordinator can make the decision to decline and inform the editorial board.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Editorial_board_publication_decision_needed|Editorial board notification template}}
==== Accepting articles ====
Articles that are approved by the editorial board for inclusion in the journal go through the following processes:
*[[#Updating_published_article_metadata_in_Wikidata|update the metadata in Wikidata]]
*[[#Page_location|Move the article page]] to "''{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Title''"
*[[#Assignment_of_digital_object_identifier|Assign a digital object identifier]] (DOI)
*[[#Inclusion_in_the_current_volume_and_issue|Include the {{tlc|Article info}} template]] at the top of the current issue of [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}]] (source page located under "[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Issues|Journal issues]]" at top menu)
*[[#PDF_files|Create the PDF file]]
*[[#Depositing_XML|Link to an XML file]]
*[[#Inform_the_authors|Inform the corresponding author]] about article acceptance
Article authors may be asked to translate the abstract into other languages they know. A translated abstract should be put in the Wikiversity of that language if available.
==== Declining articles ====
If the decision is made to decline an article, the step are similar:
* Inform the corresponding author about the decision and reasons
* Add to article's Wikidata item: {{P|P793}} = {{Q|Q98398200}} with the qualifier {{P|P585}} = date
* Add an explanation of the decision to the article's talkpage
* If the article was adapted from Wikipedia, add a link on the Wikipedia article's talkpage pointing to the review
==Inclusion of approved articles==
[[File:WikiJournal publishing instructions 1.webm|thumb|Accepted article processing steps (turn on captions)]]
=== Updating published article metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating published article metadata in wikidata"></span>===
Ensure that the article's Wikidata item is filled in ([[#Creating_article_metadata_in_Wikidata|this data]] should already be present). This will update the information everywhere else. In particular, the following must be added:
*{{P|P356}} = 10.15347/{{WJX}}/{{CURRENTYEAR}}.XXX (where XXX is the chronological order of the work for this year)
*{{P|P31}} = {{Q|Q13442814}}
*{{P|P1433}} = {{Q|{{WJQ}}}}
*{{P|P577}} = date
*{{P|P478}} = {{WikiJournal current volume}} (for {{CURRENTYEAR}}; this is updated every year)
*{{P|P433}} = 1
*{{P|P304}} = the chronological order of the work for this year
*{{P|P953}} = URL of final PDF
*{{P|P1104}} = number of pages in the final PDF
Additionally, ideally information should be added ([[Wikidata:Q96317242|example]]):
*{{P|P921}} = main subject
*{{P|P4510}} = methods/techniques/conceptual frameworks
*{{P|P2860}} = references cited
===Page location===
[[Meta:Help:Moving a page|Move]] the page from <code>WikiJournal_Preprints/Title</code> to <code>{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Title</code> (this will also automatically update in the article's Wikidata record).
===Inclusion in the current volume and issue===
Once the publication date is added on Wikidata, published articles will automatically appear in the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Volume_{{WikiJournal current volume}}_Issue_1|current journal issue]] at midnight UTC (added by [[User:WikiJournalBot]]).
===Assignment of digital object identifier===
Assignment of a DOI to an article is done through [[Wikipedia:Crossref|Crossref]] (log-in details in [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]) via their [https://manage.crossref.org/records Metadata Manager page], using the following metadata:
<u>New record submission</u>
Type: Journal Article
<u>Article information</u>
:Article title: '''title of article'''
:Article DOI: '''10.15347/{{WJX|wjx|lc=true}}/{{CURRENTYEAR}}.XXX''' (where XXX is the chronological order of the work for this year)
:Article landing URL: '''full URL of article'''
:Contributors: '''add each author and their ORCiD''' (affiliation / institution is recommended, but not mandatory if contributor is an independent researcher or does not wish to disclose affiliation)
:Role: select if they are the first author or an additional author
:Abstract: paste the plain text version of the article abstract (without wiki markup or references)
:Language of abstract: '''English''' in most cases, unless abstract is also available in non-English language or the article is a translated in its entirety of the accepted version of the English article
:Published online date: '''enter the accepted date'''
:Published in print date: (leave blank)
:First page number: (leave blank)
:Article number or ID: '''X''' (where X is the chronological order of the work for this year)
:Funding: (optional, fill in if author includes information in their submission form or acknowledgement)
:Similarity Check full text URL: '''full URL of article'''
:Type of Relationships: (only used if there is a translated article or correction)
:References: copy the entire reference section of the article and paste them into this field
<u>Journal information</u>
:Online ISSN: '''{{WikiJournal ISSN nodash}}'''
:Print ISSN: (leave blank)
:Full title: '''''{{ROOTPAGENAME}}'''''
:Abbreviated title: '''''{{Wiki J Xyz}}'''''
<u>Issue information</u>
:Issue published online date: find the first accepted article's publication date within this issue
:Issue published in print: (leave blank)
:Issue number: '''1''' (updated every 6-15 articles if more are published in a year)
:Volume number: '''{{WikiJournal current volume}}''' (for {{CURRENTYEAR}}; this is updated every year)
Use the "Edit Record" function to correct any mistakes.
<u>User information</u>
:Username: see [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]
:Password: see [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]
:e-mail: '''{{ {{WikiJXyz}}_general_contact_email}}'''
===Submitting reference metadata===
Logging links to an article's references is also done through [[Wikipedia:Crossref|Crossref]] (log-in details in [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]) via their [https://apps.crossref.org/SimpleTextQuery Simple text form]:
*Copy and paste all the references from the article over to the [https://apps.crossref.org/SimpleTextQuery Crossref form] and click 'Submit'
*Scroll down to the bottom of the generated page and click 'Deposit'
*Include the information:
:Email address: '''{{ {{WikiJXyz}}_general_contact_email}}'''
:Parent DOI: DOI of the WikiJournal article for which you are adding references
:Username: see [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]
:Password: see [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]
===Registering article in DOAJ===
Individual articles can be indexed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (log-in details in [https://groups.google.com/g/wikijournal-technical technical editorial googlegroup]) through their [https://doaj.org/publisher/metadata article metadata form].
===Depositing XML===
When a DOI has been obtained from Crossref and added to the article, a link will appear on the right of the article to 'Deposit' the XML. Clicking that link will create an /XML subpage containing the preloaded text "<code><nowiki>{{#section-h:{{subst:#titleparts:{{subst:PAGENAMEE}}|</nowiki>'''volume'''{{!}}'''issue'''<nowiki>}}}}</nowiki></code>" which, when saved, will format the XML metadata automatically ([[WikiJournal of Medicine/The Cerebellum/XML|Example]]). Alternatively, an XML-file will be sent to {{{{WikiJXyz}} general contact email}} which can be pasted into the /XML subpage. One saved, the link on the right of the article will read 'Download' in stead of 'Deposit'.
===Inform the authors===
Authors should be notified with the article's acceptance and its doi. Authors can assist in several of the post-acceptance steps if they choose by [[#PDF files|formatting the PDF]] and/or [[#Wikipedia inclusion|integrating content into Wikipedia]].
Otherwise a journal editor should do these.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_accepted_for_publication|Article acceptance template}}
==PDF files==
===Creation of PDF files===
[[File:WikiJournal PDF formatting.webm|thumb|Accepted article PDF formatting (turn on captions)]]
# First, the article's {{tlx|Article info}} template should be checked to make sure that the information is up to date
# The PDF should be formatted using the standardised blank template (MS word 2013 or later recommended)
#: {{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal User Group
|Article formatting templates (.docx): [{{WikiJMed_PDF_template}} WikiJMed] / [{{WikiJSci_PDF_template}} WikiJSci] / [{{WikiJHum_PDF_template}} WikiJHum]
|{{clickable button 2| url={{{{WikiJXyz}}_PDF_template}} | Accepted article formatting template (.docx)}}
}}
# Copy the article's material from the wiki page into the docx template
#* Text sections and publication data (e.g. date) are copied and pasted from the wiki page into the docx template. Pasting with the "Merge formatting" option should keep source formatting but use the font and text size of the template.
#* Wiki links and hyperlinks to references should be preserved when copying from the wiki page into the docx template (in blue color but not underscored).
#* Figures should be pasted from the full-resolution versions on Wikimedia commons (not the lower-resolution previews shows on article wiki pages)
# Use Ctrl+H to find-replace <code>space</code> with <code>space</code> (WikiMarkup often includes non-breaking spaces)
# Remove "↑ Jump to" from reference list
# File > Options > Advanced > Image Size and Quality > "Do Not Compress images in file" (retain full-resolution images)
# File > Save as > docx
# File > Save as > PDF (avoid [[Wikipedia:Portable_Document_Format#Software|PDF "printing"]] since this can lead to misformatting)
# Final PDF chacks: zoom in on figures to confirm resolution, test a selection of hyperlinks, look for any misformatted or overlapping text, and compare overall formatting against a previously published article.
===Uploading PDF files to the journal===
#Upload the docx file to {{#switch:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}
|WikiJournal User Group = [https://drive.google.com/open?id=1oi98pP7oO9CyAeQUFOJDr4pj3EkcImQS WikiJSci docx folder] / [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4LQzkvkbO9YYlZRZDUxVlNtdW8 WikiJMed docx folder] / [https://drive.google.com/open?id=1gvpVH8_ajSKiQ2rp2eUjuAG6pDMvAdUl WikiJHum docx folder]
|WikiJournal of Medicine = [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4LQzkvkbO9YYlZRZDUxVlNtdW8 WikiJMed docx folder]
|WikiJournal of Science = [https://drive.google.com/open?id=1oi98pP7oO9CyAeQUFOJDr4pj3EkcImQS WikiJSci docx folder]
|WikiJournal of Humanities = [https://drive.google.com/open?id=1gvpVH8_ajSKiQ2rp2eUjuAG6pDMvAdUl WikiJHum docx folder]
}}
#[[Special:Upload|Upload the PDF file to Wikiversity]]. Name the PDF the exact same as the article title (omit any <code>:</code> characters, since they can't be included in filenames)
#*On the file page, in stead of {{tlc|Information}}, use <code><nowiki>{{subst:InformationQ|Q1234568}}</nowiki></code> using the article's Wikidata QID.
===Updating PDF files===
When a minor update to an article is needed, the docx version (linked from the bottom of the wiki page) should be used as the starting template, with changes copied across from the article's wiki page.
For major updates, it may be best to create the document again from scratch using the blank [{{{{WikiJXyz}}_PDF_template}} .docx template].
The updated PDF can be uploaded by going to the <code>File:[Article title].pdf</code> page and clicking "Upload a new version of this file".
==Wikipedia inclusion==
Different [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Publishing#Publication_formats|types of articles]] have differing potential for Wikipedia integration. Articles that review and summarise existing knowledge from other [[w:wp:Reliable sources|reliable sources]] can be copied as content into Wikipedia. [[w:wp:Original research|Original research]] cannot be copied into Wikipedia. Any content integrated into Wikipedia will then be updatable over time in the same manner as any [[Wikipedia:Ownership of content|other Wikipedia content]]. Please note that it is up to the consensus of the Wikipedia editor community as to whether to accept, edit or omit any added content.
===As content===
*Articles written in an encyclopedia review format may be fully copied into Wikipedia. Such Wikipedia articles also should also have the <code>{{[[w:template:Academic peer reviewed|Academic peer reviewed]]}}</code> template added at the beginning of their reference section. ([[wikipedia:Cerebellum|example]])
*Short articles written in a mini review format may be added as a section of a relevant Wikipedia article and should be added to the category [[:wikipedia:category:Wikipedia articles with sections published in {{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}]]. ([[wikipedia:Gene#Structure and function|example]])
*Images should be added to relevant articles, as long as they [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:No original research#Original images|do not illustrate unpublished ideas or arguments]]. The WikiJournal article should be [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Citing sources|cited as a reference]] in the image caption in Wikipedia. ([[wikipedia:Steroidogenic enzyme|example]])
Only encyclopedic content should be integrated into the encyclopedia. In all cases, any [[w:wp:OR|discussion, speculation or outlook sections]] should be omitted from the version integrated into Wikipedia.
;Process
*The author(s) of the WikiJournal article should be invited to perform this integration.
*The edit summaries should ideally include a link to the work in WikiJournal and specify the CC license (for at least the first edit summary), E.g.:
*:"<code><nowiki>Adding/Updating section XYZ from [[v:</nowiki>{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}<nowiki>/...]], [[doi:10.15347/</nowiki>{{WJX|wjx|lc=true}}/{{CURRENTYEAR}}<nowiki>.XXX]] under a CC-BY-SA license</nowiki></code>"<br> Note: check relevant section, link, DOI, and license
*Changes in the material to adapt to Wikipedia's format may include:
** Decide if any parts of the WikiJournal article need to be omited from the Wikipedia page (original research / opinions / perspectives / conclusions)
** If a current Wikipedia page on the topic already exists decide which parts to keep
** If an image appears only in Wikiversity but not in the Wikipedia article, move it to Wikimedia Commons: [[Commons:Commons:Moving files to Commons|Moving files to Commons]]
** Remove <code>w:</code> prefixes in links (tidier, but not strictly necessary)
** Replace <code><nowiki>[[xyz|xyz]]</nowiki></code> with <code><nowiki>[[xyz]]</nowiki></code> (tidier, but not strictly necessary)
* Add to the Wikidata item: {{P|P793}} = {{Q|Q17853087}} with the qualifiers
**{{P|P585}} = date
**{{P|P4969}} = {{Q|Q52}}
**{{P|P2699}} = URL of Wikipedia page
* Add the <code><nowiki>{{</nowiki>[[w:template:Academic peer reviewed|Academic peer reviewed]]<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> template in the References and at the top of the Talk page
==Scientific misconduct==
Any person suspecting [[Wikipedia:Scientific misconduct|scientific misconduct]] of any article should [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Contact|contact the editor-in-chief]] or an [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editors#Editorial_board_members|editorial board members]], who in turn should bring any suspected scientific misconduct to the knowledge of the entire board. [[Wikipedia:Committee on Publication Ethics|COPE]] has flowcharts for different types of situations: [https://publicationethics.org/resources/flowcharts].
Upon suspected scientific misconduct by an author or reviewer, the next step is generally that an editor contacts the corresponding author or reviewer to ask for an explanation. COPE has examples of letters to authors in such cases [http://publicationethics.org/resources/ sample-letters]. Such letters should not accuse authors or reviewers, but should rather state the facts clearly, and allow them to explain their actions before coming to a decision.
;See also
[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Ethics_statement#Contact_and_dispute_resolution|Ethics statement]]
==Adding and removing journal editors==
===Adding editorial board members===
Once an editorial board member applicant has clear consensus ([[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Bylaws#Section 3. Appointment|relevant bylaws]]), they can be accepted to the board by the following steps.
# Add this text <code><nowiki>{{subst:</nowiki>[[Template:WikiJournal accepted board member|WikiJournal accepted board member]]<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> underneath their application on the [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board applications page]], which will paste these points as a checklist <section begin=checklist_board/>
# [[{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_board_member|Send a welcome message and confirm their preferred email address]] (usually in their provided website link, else via [[Special:EmailUser]])<br>{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_board_member|Onboarding email template}}
# If they do not yet have a Wikidata item, create one
# Copy their information over to [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board page]] using the {{tlx|Editor info}} template (including their Wikidata QID)
# The above step will create a button that will update the [[d:{{WJQboard|default=Q75674277}}|relevant editorial board]] on Wikidata
# Direct-add them to the {{WJX}}board mailing list ([https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!managemembers/{{WJX}}board/add via this link]) which will grant them access to the private page only visible to board members
# Welcome them at the {{WJX}}board mailing list so that they are informed
# Finally, move the application to [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editors/Archive_{{CURRENTYEAR}}|this year's archive page]]
<section end=checklist_board/>
===Removing editorial board members===
Members can be removed from the editorial board by their own request (either completely, or changing to be an associate editor) or can be voted out ([[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Bylaws#Section_3._Removal relevant bylaws]]).
# Removal from the {{WJX}}board mailing list ([https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!managemembers/{{WJX}}board/members/active via this link])
# Moving their information from the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board page]] to the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial_board#Previous_board_members|Previous board members section]]
# Removal of any social media accesses that they were granted
# Send a confirmation email to them and cc in the {{WJX}}board mailing list so that they and the board are informed
===Adding associate editors===
Associate editors are accepted by consensus of the editorial board, and their addition follows these steps
# Add this text <code><nowiki>{{subst:</nowiki>[[Template:WikiJournal accepted associate editor|WikiJournal accepted associate editor]]<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> underneath their application on the [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors|associate editor applications page]], which will paste these points as a checklist <section begin=checklist_assoc/>
# [[{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_associate_editor|Send a welcome message and confirm their preferred email address]] (usually in their provided website link, else via [[Special:EmailUser]])<br>{{clickable button 2
|url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_associate_editor|Onboarding email template}}
# If they do not yet have a Wikidata item, create one
# Copy their information over to the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors|associate editor page]] using the {{tlx|Editor info}} template (including Wikidata QID)
# The above step will create a button that will update the [[d:{{WJQassoc|default=Q104167540}}|relevant associate editor list]] on Wikidata
# Email the {{WJX}}board mailing list so that they are informed
# Finally, move the application to [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editors/Archive_{{<includeonly>subst:</includeonly>CURRENTYEAR}}|this year's archive page]] <section end=checklist_assoc/>
Note that associate editors are ''not'' added to the {{WJX}}board mailing list and so do not gain access to journal passwords or confidential information.
===Removing associate editors===
Members can be removed from the associate editor team by their own request, they can request to join the editorial board, or can be voted out ([[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Bylaws#Section_3._Removal relevant bylaws]]).
# Removal of their information from the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors|associate editor page]]
# Removal of any social media accesses that they were granted
# Send a confirmation email to them and cc in the {{WJX}}board mailing list so that they and the board are informed
===Updating editor metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating editor metadata in Wikidata"></span>===
Add to the relevant editorial team ({{Q|{{WJQboard}}}} or {{Q|{{WJQassoc}}}}):
*{{P|P98}} = editor
**{{P|P580}} = date
Additionally, to each editor:
*{{P|P108}} = current employers (e.g. university or organisation)
**{{P|P6424}} or {{P|P1416}} = affiliation (e.g. department)
*{{P|P101}} = areas of expertise
*{{P|P856}} = faculty website or equivalent
*{{P|P496}} = ORCID
*{{P|P4174}} = username
==Social media accounts==
===Adding admins===
Editors interested in being an admin for a journal's [https://www.facebook.com/{{WikiJXyz|default=WikiJSci}} Facebook] and [https://twitter.com/{{WikiJXyz|default=WikiJSci}} Twitter] accounts should contact the Editor in Chief and/or current social media team. Admins can be either added directly by the EiC, or by consensus of the current social media admins. New admins should be added to the [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/wikijournal-social-media social media admin google group].
Due to the very public nature of social media, there is a two-week probationary period before being being given account passwords:
* [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd7UOiidYOAzkBfAVBe8eWwE5mbmvRF6wR3NDfTgnj0dDdBFQ/viewform Suggest 5 social media posts] over a 2 week period
* [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd7UOiidYOAzkBfAVBe8eWwE5mbmvRF6wR3NDfTgnj0dDdBFQ/viewform Suggest 10 accounts] to follow
Twitter is especially sensitive, since a single account password is shared, whereas for Facebook users can be added as having 'editor' permissions to post content.
===Recommended use of social media===
General guidelines:
*Be sure anything shared/reposted aligns with journal principles
*When citing a publication, always include the doi
*Include an image whenever possible
Examples posts:
*A catchy summary of published WikiJournal article
*Retweet article summary from other WikiJournal that may be relevant to audience
*Any info from WikiJournal site (e.g. aims / scope / editor info etc)
*Relevant news articles from other outlets
*Retweet relevant posts (about e.g. open access, Wikipedia, outreach, science communications)
[[Category:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:WikiJournal guidelines]]
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/* Updating published article metadata in Wikidata */ update instruction
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<noinclude>{{WikiJ top menu}}</noinclude>
This page describes the steps required to process an article through submission, peer review, formatting and publication.
{{TOClimit|1}}
==Editing published works==
[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer reviewers#Community review|Community peer review comments]] can always be left for articles before or after publication. For articles dual-published into Wikipedia, readers are also encouraged to directly improve or comment on the equivalent Wikipedia pages. Both authors and associate editors may correct spelling errors, minor grammatical errors and inconsistencies in reference formatting even for published works. Technical edits to pages are also allowed. On the other hand, a change in the meaning of the main text may be reverted since it may require renewed peer review and author approval. Suggestions for updates of the main text of published articles may be created as separate drafts that are re-submitted to undergo peer review before being used to update the article. It is recommended to state any conflicts of interest (or simply "none stated") when proposing changes to the main content of published articles. These requirements are not needed if the edits are obviously spelling or grammar corrections.
==How to contribute==
===Help run the journal===
* Apply to be on the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|'''editorial board''']] to steer the journal's direction
* Apply to be an '''[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors|associate editor]]''' to help organise peer review, formatting and Wikipedia-integration of [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Potential upcoming articles|potential upcoming articles]]
* Apply to become the '''[[meta:WikiJournal User Group/Reports|treasurer]]''' of the journals
* [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Be bold|'''Be bold''']] with changes that you think will improve the journal
===Keep in touch===
*Join the [{{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal User Group|https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikijournal-en|https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/{{WikiJXyz}}}} '''public mailing list''']. This is open for anyone to email and read
*Put the '''[[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|main discussion page]]''' on your [[Help:Watchlist|watchlist]] to get updates on the project
*Add other journal project pages to your [[Help:Watchlist|watchlist]] to monitor discussion page questions or any vandalism
*Follow our accounts on [https://www.facebook.com/{{WikiJXyz|default=WikiJSci}} '''Facebook'''] or [https://twitter.com/{{WikiJXyz|default=WikiJSci}} '''Twitter''']
*Share your ideas of what the journal could be like in the '''[[Meta:WikiJournal|future as separate Wikimedia project]]'''
===Outreach===
{{#switch:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal of Science|WikiJournal of Medicine=[[File:{{ROOTPAGENAME}} Poster.pdf|thumb|Poster for noticeboards, tearooms and mailing lists]]}}
Outreach to potential contributors is essential for the journal, and the target audience may include (but is not limited to) scholars and health professionals
*The journal may be '''presented''' at scholarly gatherings ([https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1SOGLdK-iDrW3id-oi3O0oFYGRPughkkt7G0IkHbxL98/edit Example presentation])
*Many '''scholars''' have written [[Wikipedia:Thesis|theses]] that are not published, but sections of which could very well fit as an article
*Also, university faculties {{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal of Medicine| and medical schools}} may be asked to present the journal to their '''students''', as a form of teaching about online information
**{{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal of Medicine|Medical students|Students}} are often required to complete a research project or literature review as a part of their studies, parts or all of which could be eligible for submission
*Writing (or inviting scholars to write) '''articles''' about open access publishing, highlighting the journal as an example (e.g. [https://aoasg.org.au/2017/09/05/open-access-medical-content-and-the-worlds-largest-encyclopedia/ AOASG] and [https://theconversation.com/why-getting-medical-information-from-wikipedia-isnt-always-a-bad-idea-59708 ''The Conversation''])
*Notify '''Wikipedia users''' (or editors at [https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Our_projects other Wikimedia projects]) who may be interested in the project on their talk pages ([[Wikipedia:User_talk:AhMedRMaaty#Wikiversity_Journal_of_Medicine.2C_an_open_access_peer_reviewed_journal_with_no_charges.2C_invites_you_to_participate|Example entry]])
*Coordinate and collaborate with '''other journals or organizations''' with similar scope and reaching out to their users/subscribers through their mailing list
*Spread the word with a [[:File:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}_Poster.pdf|poster]]
===Improve systems and procedures===
*Assist in preparing the [[WikiJournal_User_Group/Applications|applications for the journal to be listed]] in [[w:List of academic databases and search engines|academic databases and search engines]].
===Other===
*[[WikiJournal Preprints|'''Submit''']] an article to WikiJournal. See also [[WikiJournal User Group/Publishing|publishing guidelines]].
*Check on [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Potential upcoming articles|'''potential upcoming articles''']] and [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer reviewers#Community review|comment on their ''Discussion pages'']]
*Add a [[WikiJournal User Group/Peer reviewers#Community review|post-publication review]] of an [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|'''existing publication''']]
**If errors are found, there are [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial_guidelines#Editing_published_works|guidelines for editing published works]]
*[[foundation:Ways_to_Give|'''Donate''' to Wikimedia Foundation]]
*'''Translate''' journal pages into other languages ([[:sv:WikiJournal_of_Medicine|example]])
*Contribute to [[WikiJournal User Group|'''other WikiJournals''']]
==Inviting a submission==
Editors may invite submissions from anyone with suitable expertise. This can act as a way of commissioning an article on a specific topic to replace or update an existing Wikipedia article or as a new article to cover a missing topic.
For content not already on display in Wikimedia projects:
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_submission_invitation|Article submission invitation template}}
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_submission_confirmation|Article submission confirmation template}}
Articles can be adapted from existing Wikipedia pages (or other Wikimedia content). These are submitted via nomination on [[w:WP:WikiJournal_article_nominations|this page on Wikipedia]]. Changes made in response to peer review are integrated back in the Wikipedia version after publication ([https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Draft:WikiJournal_of_Medicine/The_Hippocampus&oldid=1623175 example]).
:{{clickable button 2| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_submission_invitation_(wikipedia_page)|Wikipedia Article submission template}}
==Receiving a submission==
As described at the '''[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Publishing|Publishing]]''' page, the corresponding author may write the article online or email it to {{WikiJMed submissions email}}. In the latter case, the editor-in-chief then asks whether the author wants to have their works kept confidential up until publication, mentioning that processing and peer reviewing goes faster when submissions are put directly in the wiki. Still, authors may prefer confidential processing because many journals do not accept submissions that have been in the open at any time, and thereby authors may be harmed by premature disclosure of any or all of an article submission's details. The authors' choice in this matter will determine the pathway of the ensuing procedure.
===Works without need for confidentiality===
In this case, the corresponding author is asked to [[metawiki:Special:CreateAccount|create a WikiMedia account]] and upload the work directly to [[WikiJournal Preprints]].
If authors find it troublesome to upload the works themselves, editors help out in this matter. Editors may also make edits similarly to [[#Editing_published_works|editing published works]].
Submitted works should be added as a row on the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Potential_upcoming_articles|potential upcoming articles table]]. It is also recommended to mention submission at the talk page of the Wikipedia article of the same topic if such exists already.
===Confidential works===
Discussions related to confidential works need to be held privately, such as by [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board restricted email] to members of the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board]] and [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer reviewers|peer reviewers]].
===Importing from Wikipedia===
If the submission is an existing Wikipedia article, (via nomination at the [[w:wp:WikiJournal article nominations|'embassy page' in Wikipedia]]) it can be imported via the following steps:
# [[Special:Import]] the Wikipedia page to <code>WikiJournal Preprints/Title</code> (including transcluded templates; all previous revisions not necessary for large pages)
# Remove infobox, external links, and categories
# Add {{tlx|Article info}} template to article (works best with VisualEditor) and to discussion page
# Convert all links to links to point to Wikipedia by placing the [[Template:convert links|convert_links template]]:
#* at the top of the page: <code><nowiki>{{</nowiki>[[template:convert_links|subst:convert_links]]<nowiki>|</nowiki></code>
#* at the bottom of the page: <code><nowiki>}}</nowiki></code>
# Inform author by adding <code><nowiki>{{</nowiki>[[w:template:JAN_talk|subst:JAN talk]]{{!}}article name<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> to their Wikipedia talkpage
===Creating location for peer review===
Articles with no Discuss (Talk) page yet should have a link on the right hand menu to 'Create peer review location'. Clicking this should created a page that synchronises the article header information from the corresponding article (containing the preloaded text "<code><nowiki>{{#section-h:{{ARTICLEPAGENAMEE}}}}</nowiki></code>").
===Creating article metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Creating article metadata in wikidata"></span>===
Every submitted article will need a Wikidata item to hold structured metadata (authors, dates, publication status etc). If it already has a Wikidata item, it has a link on the right hand menu "QID: Q12345". If it does not yet have a Wikidata item, it can be created by clicking the link on the right hand menu: "[[wikidata:Special:NewItem|create Wikidata item]]". Check that this item includes:
*{{P|P1476}} = article title
*{{P|P31}} = {{Q|Q580922}}
*{{P|P50}} = each author's name
**{{P|P1545}} = author order
**{{P|P968}} = email of corresponding author
*{{P|P1433}} = {{Q|Q100164397}}
*{{P|P7347}} = peer review url
*{{P|P275}} = license (usually {{Q|Q20007257}})
*{{P|P793 }} = {{Q|Q76903164}} with the qualifiers
**{{P|P585}} = date
**{{P|P276}} = {{Q|Q100164397}}
**{{P|P664}} = {{WikiJournal current volume}}
====Updating author metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating author metadata in wikidata"></span>====
Additionally, for each author:
*{{P|P108}} = current employers (e.g. university or organisation)
**{{P|P6424}} or {{P|P1416}} = affiliation (e.g. department)
*{{P|P101}} = areas of expertise
*{{P|P856}} = faculty website or equivalent
*{{P|P496}} = ORCID
*{{P|P4174}} = username
===Plagiarism checking===
All submitted works should first be checked for plagiarism. The [https://tools.wmflabs.org/copyvios/?lang=en&project=wikiversity&action=search&use_engine=1&turnitin=1|WMF copyvios tool] will identify plagiarism of any online sources. Write the results on the ''[[Wikiversity:Discuss|Discuss-page]]'' of the submission, such as:
*<nowiki>{{Pass}}</nowiki> Report from [https://tools.wmflabs.org/copyvios/?lang=en&project=wikiversity&action=search&use_engine=1&turnitin=1 WMF copyvios tool]: 0% plagiarism detected <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>
*<nowiki>{{Pass}}</nowiki> Report from [https://tools.wmflabs.org/copyvios/?lang=en&project=wikiversity&action=search&use_engine=1&turnitin=1 WMF copyvios tool] flagged some false positives (not regarded as plagiarism) due to references matching wording in published articles / attributed quotes / common stock phrases. <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>
* Report from [https://tools.wmflabs.org/copyvios/?lang=en&project=wikiversity&action=search&use_engine=1&turnitin=1 WMF copyvios tool]: 70% chance of plagiarism detected: Paragraph X closeley matches similar in source Y. <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>
Cases of reverse-plagiarism from Wikipedia (other sites plagiarising a wiki) can often be identified using the [[mw:Who_Wrote_That?|Who Wrote That tool]] to identify when the overlapping text was added to Wikipedia.
==Rejecting articles==
Some submitted manuscripts may be judged by the Editorial Board as not meeting [[WikiJournal_User_Group/Publishing#Criteria_for_inclusion|criteria for publication]]. Preferably, the handling Editor will discuss this within the Editorial Board and allow sufficient time to ensure consensus.
If there is consensus within the Editorial Board that the manuscript cannot meet the criteria for inclusion, even in future revisions of the work, than it may be rejected without further peer review ("desk reject").
A manuscript might also be rejected after peer review, if the reviewers raise appropriate points which the authors do not want or are unable or unwilling to address. In such instances, if the authors do to pursue further publication, the work can be ''archived'' as no longer active, rather than rejected.
If however, a complete overhaul would later make the article suitable for further peer review (''e.g.'' manuscript initially had no or almost no supporting references, and these are later added), than the work can be resubmitted again through the original submission process.
Editors can find a sample rejection letter [[WikiJournal_User_Group/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_declined_for_publication|'''here''']].
Currently, only "nonsense" pages are deleted through the standard deletion process. Whether or not other preprints submitted via the non-confidential pathway on the wiki can be deleted upon request of the authors, is still a matter of debate. Currently, these pages would need to go through the standard [[Wikiversity:Requests for Deletion]] process.
==Arranging peer review==
Articles needing peer review can be seen at [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Potential upcoming articles|potential upcoming articles]]. Submissions require at least two invited external peer reviewers. Editorial comments and spontaneous reviews from interested readers are additionally always valued.
===Responsibility===
Each submitted work is designated to one or more "[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors#Coordinator|peer review coordinator]]" among journal editors. The review coordinator is in charge of organising the peer review invitations and monitoring the submission through the peer review process.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Review_coordinator_introduction|Introduction of review coordinators to authors template}}
===Finding peer reviewers===
Suitable peer reviewers can be found by the following methods:
# Authors may recommend suitably qualified peer reviewers to review their submitted manuscript. The peer review coordinator should look at this item in the authorship declaration form (access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]).
# Check the recent papers cited by the submission.
# Search the submission's keywords on [https://scholia.toolforge.org/topic Scholia]
# Search scholarly databases using key phrases to find recent publications (e.g. [https://scholar.google.com G-Scholar], [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ Pubmed], [https://www.scopus.com Scopus], [https://zbmath.org zbMATH Open (for Mathematics)])
# Search by field or keyword in [https://publons.com/researcher/?order_by=verified_reviews_performed_last_12_months Publons]
# Search by abstract or key phrases in [http://jane.biosemantics.org/ JANE database].
#Search by key phrases at [https://www.semanticscholar.org/ semanticscholar]
In general, prioritise contacting reviewers who've published during the last 5 years. In addition to contacting the corresponding authors, the less senior authors often have a higher response rates when contacted. The response rate of the first round of reviewer invitations can inform how many emails will be needed in the second round of invitations. It is worth considering whether to ensure that one of the peer reviewers was not specifically recommended by the authors (peer review coordinator's discretion).
[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer reviewers|Peer reviewers]] must fulfill the following criteria:
* Public contact information, or be willing to be contacted by a Wikimedia volunteer by [[Wikiversity:Peer review verification|peer review verification]] if necessary, wherein only [[Wikiversity:OTRS|trusted participants]] know the identity.
* Expertise in the specific field of the article to be reviewed and be willing to confirm their credentials if requested
* Open identity recommended, but may remain anonymous
Prospective peer reviewers should also state any conflicts of interests if applicable. For example, if the peer reviewer is an author of an article that is used as a reference in the article submission at hand, this should be mentioned among conflicts of interest.
===Inviting a peer reviewer===
Invitation emails to potential peer reviewers are tailored to the associated article submissions and reviewer and may describe why that person in particular was chosen as a reviewer. Reviews should ideally be submitted via the '''[https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6X4MbTAz_Vx4G_XDpXKE-KSa7NZsqMtJ71poJSg-mgwxy8g/viewform peer review submission form]'''. Example templates are included below.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Inviting_a_review|Peer review request template (new content)}}
===Reminding a peer reviewer===
Note that reviewers will often respond to a second email sent a week or two later even if they did not respond to the first.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Reminding_a_reviewer|Peer review reminder templates}}
===Confirming a peer reviewer===
Once a reviewer has confirmed that they are willing to review an article, the full manuscript should be provided. The email should contain the article to be reviewed as an attachment, and a link to the url if the pre-print draft is available. Be sure to check if the article ''authors'' have requested to be anonymised for the peer review.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Confirming_a_reviewer|Peer review confirmation template}}
===Importing reviews===
In case a work has already undergone a peer review by another journal or reviewing service, that peer review can count in {{ROOTPAGENAME}} if the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer_reviewers#Criteria|peer reviewer criteria]] are met. This requires that the editorial board gets to know the identity of the peer reviewer, and that the reviewer agrees to have it published under creative commons license ([[creativecommons:by-sa/3.0/|CC BY-SA]]). External peer reviews that do not fulfill these criteria should still be uploaded if possible, but do not count to the minimum of 2 independent peer reviews for each article.
==Processing received peer reviews==
=== Checking the review ===
Reviews submitted via the [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6X4MbTAz_Vx4G_XDpXKE-KSa7NZsqMtJ71poJSg-mgwxy8g/viewform peer review form] appear in the tracking spreadsheet (access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]<!-- Physierkwelt 24-06-07: I see a group with the last message from 2020, which does not redirect me to the Excel spreadsheet-->). Received peer reviews should first be checked for any disclosure of conflicts of interests, even if merely saying "none declared". Emailed peer reviews should, in addition, be checked for inclusion of:
* The title of the work that is peer reviewed
* Date of the peer review (or last date of peer review period)
* A [[Wikiversity:Uploading_files#Free_licenses|licensing statement that allows usage in Wikiversity]]
If the peer review lacks any of these criteria, a request should be sent to the peer reviewer to supplement to peer review.
===Uploading the review===
Submitted peer reviews will appear in the submitted review spreadsheet (access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]). Reviews should be added to the "discussion" page of the article after checking whether the reviewer requested anonymity. Ideally, it should be formatted with the {{Tlx|Review}} template. If peer review was submitted as a PDF, then [[Special:Upload|upload the file]] and add the link in the {{Para|pdf}} parameter.
The author should be informed by email (in the authors declaration responses spreadsheet, access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup])
::{{clickable button 2| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Reviewer_comments_complete|Reviewer comments submitted template}}
===Updating review metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating review metadata in wikidata"></span>===
When a review is posted to the article discussion page, check to see if the peer reviewer has a wikidata item (if they do not, create one). Add their QID to the {{Para|Q}} parameter on the peer review text. A button should then appear to add the information to Wikidata (you will need to have made 50 previous edits to wikidata for this button to work):
*{{P|P4032}} = peer reviewer
**{{P|P585}} = date (if reviewer doesn't request to see review again after author responses)
**{{P|P580}} = date (if reviewer requests to see review again after author responses, with {{P|P582}} when they agree their comments have been fully addressed)If the peer reviewer was anonymous, you will also need to add some information to the article's wikidata item ([[Wikidata:Q99676829|example]]):
*{{P|P4032}} = {{Q|Q4233718}}
**{{P|P101}} = areas of expertise
**{{P|P512}} = degree (if there would be any ambiguity of PhD/MD/PsyD etc)
====Updating reviewer metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating reviewer metadata in wikidata"></span>====
Additionally, each reviewer should have:
*{{P|P108}} = current employers (e.g. university or organisation)
**{{P|P6424}} or {{P|P1416}} = affiliation (e.g. department)
*{{P|P101}} = areas of expertise
*{{P|P856}} = faculty website or equivalent
*{{P|P496}} = ORCID
==Article amendments and publication decision==
=== Author response to review ===
At this stage, the authors of the article are asked to amend the issues brought up in the peer review.
# Editing the article itself to address any issues
# Responding to all comments raised by the reviewers (using the {{Tlx|Response}}template)
Once the article has been revised, the peer reviewer(s) should be notified if they have requested it in the peer reviewer form (access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]). The editor can also contact one or more peer reviewers again if they are uncertain whether an author's response fully addressed a reviewer's comments, or if the author has added significant new content that needs to be seen by a reviewer.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Second_check_by_a_reviewer_if_requested|Reviewer final check template}}
=== Editorial decision ===
An article is ready to be brought by the peer review coordinator to the editorial board for a decision once:
*Two or more external peer reviewers have given feedback on the article
*The author has addressed all reviewer's comments (peer reviewers may request to see the article again after amendments)
*The peer review coordinator always has the option to invite further reviews if they deem it useful (e.g. if initial peer reviewers disagree with one another)
{{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal of Medicine
|*Medical content intended for integration into Wikipedia should be checked for compatibility with Wikipedia's [[w:WP:MEDMOS|medical style guidelines]] and [[w:WP:MEDRS|medical referencing guidelines]]. It is recommended to post a notice at [[w:WT:MED|WikiProject Medicine]] for feedback.
}}
In such cases, the peer review coordinator should notify the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial_board|editorial board]] with a summary of their recommendation to accept, decline, or request further changes. The editorial board will then take one-two weeks to form a consensus on whether the article is suitable for publication. In trivial cases (e.g. if the author has not responded to reviewer comments) the review coordinator can make the decision to decline and inform the editorial board.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Editorial_board_publication_decision_needed|Editorial board notification template}}
==== Accepting articles ====
Articles that are approved by the editorial board for inclusion in the journal go through the following processes:
*[[#Updating_published_article_metadata_in_Wikidata|update the metadata in Wikidata]]
*[[#Page_location|Move the article page]] to "''{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Title''"
*[[#Assignment_of_digital_object_identifier|Assign a digital object identifier]] (DOI)
*[[#Inclusion_in_the_current_volume_and_issue|Include the {{tlc|Article info}} template]] at the top of the current issue of [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}]] (source page located under "[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Issues|Journal issues]]" at top menu)
*[[#PDF_files|Create the PDF file]]
*[[#Depositing_XML|Link to an XML file]]
*[[#Inform_the_authors|Inform the corresponding author]] about article acceptance
Article authors may be asked to translate the abstract into other languages they know. A translated abstract should be put in the Wikiversity of that language if available.
==== Declining articles ====
If the decision is made to decline an article, the step are similar:
* Inform the corresponding author about the decision and reasons
* Add to article's Wikidata item: {{P|P793}} = {{Q|Q98398200}} with the qualifier {{P|P585}} = date
* Add an explanation of the decision to the article's talkpage
* If the article was adapted from Wikipedia, add a link on the Wikipedia article's talkpage pointing to the review
==Inclusion of approved articles==
[[File:WikiJournal publishing instructions 1.webm|thumb|Accepted article processing steps (turn on captions)]]
=== Updating published article metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating published article metadata in wikidata"></span>===
Ensure that the article's Wikidata item is filled in ([[#Creating_article_metadata_in_Wikidata|this data]] should already be present). This will update the information everywhere else. In particular, the following must be added:
*{{P|P356}} = 10.15347/{{WJX}}/{{CURRENTYEAR}}.XXX (where XXX is the chronological order of the work for this year)
*{{P|P31}} = {{Q|Q13442814}} (and remove {{Q|Q580922}})
*{{P|P1433}} = {{Q|{{WJQ}}}}
*{{P|P577}} = date
*{{P|P478}} = {{WikiJournal current volume}} (for {{CURRENTYEAR}}; this is updated every year)
*{{P|P433}} = 1
*{{P|P304}} = the chronological order of the work for this year
*{{P|P953}} = URL of final PDF
*{{P|P1104}} = number of pages in the final PDF
Additionally, ideally information should be added ([[Wikidata:Q96317242|example]]):
*{{P|P921}} = main subject
*{{P|P4510}} = methods/techniques/conceptual frameworks
*{{P|P2860}} = references cited
===Page location===
[[Meta:Help:Moving a page|Move]] the page from <code>WikiJournal_Preprints/Title</code> to <code>{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Title</code> (this will also automatically update in the article's Wikidata record).
===Inclusion in the current volume and issue===
Once the publication date is added on Wikidata, published articles will automatically appear in the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Volume_{{WikiJournal current volume}}_Issue_1|current journal issue]] at midnight UTC (added by [[User:WikiJournalBot]]).
===Assignment of digital object identifier===
Assignment of a DOI to an article is done through [[Wikipedia:Crossref|Crossref]] (log-in details in [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]) via their [https://manage.crossref.org/records Metadata Manager page], using the following metadata:
<u>New record submission</u>
Type: Journal Article
<u>Article information</u>
:Article title: '''title of article'''
:Article DOI: '''10.15347/{{WJX|wjx|lc=true}}/{{CURRENTYEAR}}.XXX''' (where XXX is the chronological order of the work for this year)
:Article landing URL: '''full URL of article'''
:Contributors: '''add each author and their ORCiD''' (affiliation / institution is recommended, but not mandatory if contributor is an independent researcher or does not wish to disclose affiliation)
:Role: select if they are the first author or an additional author
:Abstract: paste the plain text version of the article abstract (without wiki markup or references)
:Language of abstract: '''English''' in most cases, unless abstract is also available in non-English language or the article is a translated in its entirety of the accepted version of the English article
:Published online date: '''enter the accepted date'''
:Published in print date: (leave blank)
:First page number: (leave blank)
:Article number or ID: '''X''' (where X is the chronological order of the work for this year)
:Funding: (optional, fill in if author includes information in their submission form or acknowledgement)
:Similarity Check full text URL: '''full URL of article'''
:Type of Relationships: (only used if there is a translated article or correction)
:References: copy the entire reference section of the article and paste them into this field
<u>Journal information</u>
:Online ISSN: '''{{WikiJournal ISSN nodash}}'''
:Print ISSN: (leave blank)
:Full title: '''''{{ROOTPAGENAME}}'''''
:Abbreviated title: '''''{{Wiki J Xyz}}'''''
<u>Issue information</u>
:Issue published online date: find the first accepted article's publication date within this issue
:Issue published in print: (leave blank)
:Issue number: '''1''' (updated every 6-15 articles if more are published in a year)
:Volume number: '''{{WikiJournal current volume}}''' (for {{CURRENTYEAR}}; this is updated every year)
Use the "Edit Record" function to correct any mistakes.
<u>User information</u>
:Username: see [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]
:Password: see [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]
:e-mail: '''{{ {{WikiJXyz}}_general_contact_email}}'''
===Submitting reference metadata===
Logging links to an article's references is also done through [[Wikipedia:Crossref|Crossref]] (log-in details in [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]) via their [https://apps.crossref.org/SimpleTextQuery Simple text form]:
*Copy and paste all the references from the article over to the [https://apps.crossref.org/SimpleTextQuery Crossref form] and click 'Submit'
*Scroll down to the bottom of the generated page and click 'Deposit'
*Include the information:
:Email address: '''{{ {{WikiJXyz}}_general_contact_email}}'''
:Parent DOI: DOI of the WikiJournal article for which you are adding references
:Username: see [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]
:Password: see [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]
===Registering article in DOAJ===
Individual articles can be indexed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (log-in details in [https://groups.google.com/g/wikijournal-technical technical editorial googlegroup]) through their [https://doaj.org/publisher/metadata article metadata form].
===Depositing XML===
When a DOI has been obtained from Crossref and added to the article, a link will appear on the right of the article to 'Deposit' the XML. Clicking that link will create an /XML subpage containing the preloaded text "<code><nowiki>{{#section-h:{{subst:#titleparts:{{subst:PAGENAMEE}}|</nowiki>'''volume'''{{!}}'''issue'''<nowiki>}}}}</nowiki></code>" which, when saved, will format the XML metadata automatically ([[WikiJournal of Medicine/The Cerebellum/XML|Example]]). Alternatively, an XML-file will be sent to {{{{WikiJXyz}} general contact email}} which can be pasted into the /XML subpage. One saved, the link on the right of the article will read 'Download' in stead of 'Deposit'.
===Inform the authors===
Authors should be notified with the article's acceptance and its doi. Authors can assist in several of the post-acceptance steps if they choose by [[#PDF files|formatting the PDF]] and/or [[#Wikipedia inclusion|integrating content into Wikipedia]].
Otherwise a journal editor should do these.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_accepted_for_publication|Article acceptance template}}
==PDF files==
===Creation of PDF files===
[[File:WikiJournal PDF formatting.webm|thumb|Accepted article PDF formatting (turn on captions)]]
# First, the article's {{tlx|Article info}} template should be checked to make sure that the information is up to date
# The PDF should be formatted using the standardised blank template (MS word 2013 or later recommended)
#: {{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal User Group
|Article formatting templates (.docx): [{{WikiJMed_PDF_template}} WikiJMed] / [{{WikiJSci_PDF_template}} WikiJSci] / [{{WikiJHum_PDF_template}} WikiJHum]
|{{clickable button 2| url={{{{WikiJXyz}}_PDF_template}} | Accepted article formatting template (.docx)}}
}}
# Copy the article's material from the wiki page into the docx template
#* Text sections and publication data (e.g. date) are copied and pasted from the wiki page into the docx template. Pasting with the "Merge formatting" option should keep source formatting but use the font and text size of the template.
#* Wiki links and hyperlinks to references should be preserved when copying from the wiki page into the docx template (in blue color but not underscored).
#* Figures should be pasted from the full-resolution versions on Wikimedia commons (not the lower-resolution previews shows on article wiki pages)
# Use Ctrl+H to find-replace <code>space</code> with <code>space</code> (WikiMarkup often includes non-breaking spaces)
# Remove "↑ Jump to" from reference list
# File > Options > Advanced > Image Size and Quality > "Do Not Compress images in file" (retain full-resolution images)
# File > Save as > docx
# File > Save as > PDF (avoid [[Wikipedia:Portable_Document_Format#Software|PDF "printing"]] since this can lead to misformatting)
# Final PDF chacks: zoom in on figures to confirm resolution, test a selection of hyperlinks, look for any misformatted or overlapping text, and compare overall formatting against a previously published article.
===Uploading PDF files to the journal===
#Upload the docx file to {{#switch:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}
|WikiJournal User Group = [https://drive.google.com/open?id=1oi98pP7oO9CyAeQUFOJDr4pj3EkcImQS WikiJSci docx folder] / [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4LQzkvkbO9YYlZRZDUxVlNtdW8 WikiJMed docx folder] / [https://drive.google.com/open?id=1gvpVH8_ajSKiQ2rp2eUjuAG6pDMvAdUl WikiJHum docx folder]
|WikiJournal of Medicine = [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4LQzkvkbO9YYlZRZDUxVlNtdW8 WikiJMed docx folder]
|WikiJournal of Science = [https://drive.google.com/open?id=1oi98pP7oO9CyAeQUFOJDr4pj3EkcImQS WikiJSci docx folder]
|WikiJournal of Humanities = [https://drive.google.com/open?id=1gvpVH8_ajSKiQ2rp2eUjuAG6pDMvAdUl WikiJHum docx folder]
}}
#[[Special:Upload|Upload the PDF file to Wikiversity]]. Name the PDF the exact same as the article title (omit any <code>:</code> characters, since they can't be included in filenames)
#*On the file page, in stead of {{tlc|Information}}, use <code><nowiki>{{subst:InformationQ|Q1234568}}</nowiki></code> using the article's Wikidata QID.
===Updating PDF files===
When a minor update to an article is needed, the docx version (linked from the bottom of the wiki page) should be used as the starting template, with changes copied across from the article's wiki page.
For major updates, it may be best to create the document again from scratch using the blank [{{{{WikiJXyz}}_PDF_template}} .docx template].
The updated PDF can be uploaded by going to the <code>File:[Article title].pdf</code> page and clicking "Upload a new version of this file".
==Wikipedia inclusion==
Different [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Publishing#Publication_formats|types of articles]] have differing potential for Wikipedia integration. Articles that review and summarise existing knowledge from other [[w:wp:Reliable sources|reliable sources]] can be copied as content into Wikipedia. [[w:wp:Original research|Original research]] cannot be copied into Wikipedia. Any content integrated into Wikipedia will then be updatable over time in the same manner as any [[Wikipedia:Ownership of content|other Wikipedia content]]. Please note that it is up to the consensus of the Wikipedia editor community as to whether to accept, edit or omit any added content.
===As content===
*Articles written in an encyclopedia review format may be fully copied into Wikipedia. Such Wikipedia articles also should also have the <code>{{[[w:template:Academic peer reviewed|Academic peer reviewed]]}}</code> template added at the beginning of their reference section. ([[wikipedia:Cerebellum|example]])
*Short articles written in a mini review format may be added as a section of a relevant Wikipedia article and should be added to the category [[:wikipedia:category:Wikipedia articles with sections published in {{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}]]. ([[wikipedia:Gene#Structure and function|example]])
*Images should be added to relevant articles, as long as they [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:No original research#Original images|do not illustrate unpublished ideas or arguments]]. The WikiJournal article should be [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Citing sources|cited as a reference]] in the image caption in Wikipedia. ([[wikipedia:Steroidogenic enzyme|example]])
Only encyclopedic content should be integrated into the encyclopedia. In all cases, any [[w:wp:OR|discussion, speculation or outlook sections]] should be omitted from the version integrated into Wikipedia.
;Process
*The author(s) of the WikiJournal article should be invited to perform this integration.
*The edit summaries should ideally include a link to the work in WikiJournal and specify the CC license (for at least the first edit summary), E.g.:
*:"<code><nowiki>Adding/Updating section XYZ from [[v:</nowiki>{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}<nowiki>/...]], [[doi:10.15347/</nowiki>{{WJX|wjx|lc=true}}/{{CURRENTYEAR}}<nowiki>.XXX]] under a CC-BY-SA license</nowiki></code>"<br> Note: check relevant section, link, DOI, and license
*Changes in the material to adapt to Wikipedia's format may include:
** Decide if any parts of the WikiJournal article need to be omited from the Wikipedia page (original research / opinions / perspectives / conclusions)
** If a current Wikipedia page on the topic already exists decide which parts to keep
** If an image appears only in Wikiversity but not in the Wikipedia article, move it to Wikimedia Commons: [[Commons:Commons:Moving files to Commons|Moving files to Commons]]
** Remove <code>w:</code> prefixes in links (tidier, but not strictly necessary)
** Replace <code><nowiki>[[xyz|xyz]]</nowiki></code> with <code><nowiki>[[xyz]]</nowiki></code> (tidier, but not strictly necessary)
* Add to the Wikidata item: {{P|P793}} = {{Q|Q17853087}} with the qualifiers
**{{P|P585}} = date
**{{P|P4969}} = {{Q|Q52}}
**{{P|P2699}} = URL of Wikipedia page
* Add the <code><nowiki>{{</nowiki>[[w:template:Academic peer reviewed|Academic peer reviewed]]<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> template in the References and at the top of the Talk page
==Scientific misconduct==
Any person suspecting [[Wikipedia:Scientific misconduct|scientific misconduct]] of any article should [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Contact|contact the editor-in-chief]] or an [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editors#Editorial_board_members|editorial board members]], who in turn should bring any suspected scientific misconduct to the knowledge of the entire board. [[Wikipedia:Committee on Publication Ethics|COPE]] has flowcharts for different types of situations: [https://publicationethics.org/resources/flowcharts].
Upon suspected scientific misconduct by an author or reviewer, the next step is generally that an editor contacts the corresponding author or reviewer to ask for an explanation. COPE has examples of letters to authors in such cases [http://publicationethics.org/resources/ sample-letters]. Such letters should not accuse authors or reviewers, but should rather state the facts clearly, and allow them to explain their actions before coming to a decision.
;See also
[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Ethics_statement#Contact_and_dispute_resolution|Ethics statement]]
==Adding and removing journal editors==
===Adding editorial board members===
Once an editorial board member applicant has clear consensus ([[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Bylaws#Section 3. Appointment|relevant bylaws]]), they can be accepted to the board by the following steps.
# Add this text <code><nowiki>{{subst:</nowiki>[[Template:WikiJournal accepted board member|WikiJournal accepted board member]]<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> underneath their application on the [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board applications page]], which will paste these points as a checklist <section begin=checklist_board/>
# [[{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_board_member|Send a welcome message and confirm their preferred email address]] (usually in their provided website link, else via [[Special:EmailUser]])<br>{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_board_member|Onboarding email template}}
# If they do not yet have a Wikidata item, create one
# Copy their information over to [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board page]] using the {{tlx|Editor info}} template (including their Wikidata QID)
# The above step will create a button that will update the [[d:{{WJQboard|default=Q75674277}}|relevant editorial board]] on Wikidata
# Direct-add them to the {{WJX}}board mailing list ([https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!managemembers/{{WJX}}board/add via this link]) which will grant them access to the private page only visible to board members
# Welcome them at the {{WJX}}board mailing list so that they are informed
# Finally, move the application to [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editors/Archive_{{CURRENTYEAR}}|this year's archive page]]
<section end=checklist_board/>
===Removing editorial board members===
Members can be removed from the editorial board by their own request (either completely, or changing to be an associate editor) or can be voted out ([[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Bylaws#Section_3._Removal relevant bylaws]]).
# Removal from the {{WJX}}board mailing list ([https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!managemembers/{{WJX}}board/members/active via this link])
# Moving their information from the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board page]] to the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial_board#Previous_board_members|Previous board members section]]
# Removal of any social media accesses that they were granted
# Send a confirmation email to them and cc in the {{WJX}}board mailing list so that they and the board are informed
===Adding associate editors===
Associate editors are accepted by consensus of the editorial board, and their addition follows these steps
# Add this text <code><nowiki>{{subst:</nowiki>[[Template:WikiJournal accepted associate editor|WikiJournal accepted associate editor]]<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> underneath their application on the [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors|associate editor applications page]], which will paste these points as a checklist <section begin=checklist_assoc/>
# [[{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_associate_editor|Send a welcome message and confirm their preferred email address]] (usually in their provided website link, else via [[Special:EmailUser]])<br>{{clickable button 2
|url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_associate_editor|Onboarding email template}}
# If they do not yet have a Wikidata item, create one
# Copy their information over to the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors|associate editor page]] using the {{tlx|Editor info}} template (including Wikidata QID)
# The above step will create a button that will update the [[d:{{WJQassoc|default=Q104167540}}|relevant associate editor list]] on Wikidata
# Email the {{WJX}}board mailing list so that they are informed
# Finally, move the application to [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editors/Archive_{{<includeonly>subst:</includeonly>CURRENTYEAR}}|this year's archive page]] <section end=checklist_assoc/>
Note that associate editors are ''not'' added to the {{WJX}}board mailing list and so do not gain access to journal passwords or confidential information.
===Removing associate editors===
Members can be removed from the associate editor team by their own request, they can request to join the editorial board, or can be voted out ([[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Bylaws#Section_3._Removal relevant bylaws]]).
# Removal of their information from the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors|associate editor page]]
# Removal of any social media accesses that they were granted
# Send a confirmation email to them and cc in the {{WJX}}board mailing list so that they and the board are informed
===Updating editor metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating editor metadata in Wikidata"></span>===
Add to the relevant editorial team ({{Q|{{WJQboard}}}} or {{Q|{{WJQassoc}}}}):
*{{P|P98}} = editor
**{{P|P580}} = date
Additionally, to each editor:
*{{P|P108}} = current employers (e.g. university or organisation)
**{{P|P6424}} or {{P|P1416}} = affiliation (e.g. department)
*{{P|P101}} = areas of expertise
*{{P|P856}} = faculty website or equivalent
*{{P|P496}} = ORCID
*{{P|P4174}} = username
==Social media accounts==
===Adding admins===
Editors interested in being an admin for a journal's [https://www.facebook.com/{{WikiJXyz|default=WikiJSci}} Facebook] and [https://twitter.com/{{WikiJXyz|default=WikiJSci}} Twitter] accounts should contact the Editor in Chief and/or current social media team. Admins can be either added directly by the EiC, or by consensus of the current social media admins. New admins should be added to the [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/wikijournal-social-media social media admin google group].
Due to the very public nature of social media, there is a two-week probationary period before being being given account passwords:
* [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd7UOiidYOAzkBfAVBe8eWwE5mbmvRF6wR3NDfTgnj0dDdBFQ/viewform Suggest 5 social media posts] over a 2 week period
* [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd7UOiidYOAzkBfAVBe8eWwE5mbmvRF6wR3NDfTgnj0dDdBFQ/viewform Suggest 10 accounts] to follow
Twitter is especially sensitive, since a single account password is shared, whereas for Facebook users can be added as having 'editor' permissions to post content.
===Recommended use of social media===
General guidelines:
*Be sure anything shared/reposted aligns with journal principles
*When citing a publication, always include the doi
*Include an image whenever possible
Examples posts:
*A catchy summary of published WikiJournal article
*Retweet article summary from other WikiJournal that may be relevant to audience
*Any info from WikiJournal site (e.g. aims / scope / editor info etc)
*Relevant news articles from other outlets
*Retweet relevant posts (about e.g. open access, Wikipedia, outreach, science communications)
[[Category:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:WikiJournal guidelines]]
pmo9xej59c7d6eg88qybdqf64h0orm6
2805681
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/* Assignment of digital object identifier */
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<noinclude>{{WikiJ top menu}}</noinclude>
This page describes the steps required to process an article through submission, peer review, formatting and publication.
{{TOClimit|1}}
==Editing published works==
[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer reviewers#Community review|Community peer review comments]] can always be left for articles before or after publication. For articles dual-published into Wikipedia, readers are also encouraged to directly improve or comment on the equivalent Wikipedia pages. Both authors and associate editors may correct spelling errors, minor grammatical errors and inconsistencies in reference formatting even for published works. Technical edits to pages are also allowed. On the other hand, a change in the meaning of the main text may be reverted since it may require renewed peer review and author approval. Suggestions for updates of the main text of published articles may be created as separate drafts that are re-submitted to undergo peer review before being used to update the article. It is recommended to state any conflicts of interest (or simply "none stated") when proposing changes to the main content of published articles. These requirements are not needed if the edits are obviously spelling or grammar corrections.
==How to contribute==
===Help run the journal===
* Apply to be on the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|'''editorial board''']] to steer the journal's direction
* Apply to be an '''[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors|associate editor]]''' to help organise peer review, formatting and Wikipedia-integration of [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Potential upcoming articles|potential upcoming articles]]
* Apply to become the '''[[meta:WikiJournal User Group/Reports|treasurer]]''' of the journals
* [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Be bold|'''Be bold''']] with changes that you think will improve the journal
===Keep in touch===
*Join the [{{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal User Group|https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikijournal-en|https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/{{WikiJXyz}}}} '''public mailing list''']. This is open for anyone to email and read
*Put the '''[[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|main discussion page]]''' on your [[Help:Watchlist|watchlist]] to get updates on the project
*Add other journal project pages to your [[Help:Watchlist|watchlist]] to monitor discussion page questions or any vandalism
*Follow our accounts on [https://www.facebook.com/{{WikiJXyz|default=WikiJSci}} '''Facebook'''] or [https://twitter.com/{{WikiJXyz|default=WikiJSci}} '''Twitter''']
*Share your ideas of what the journal could be like in the '''[[Meta:WikiJournal|future as separate Wikimedia project]]'''
===Outreach===
{{#switch:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal of Science|WikiJournal of Medicine=[[File:{{ROOTPAGENAME}} Poster.pdf|thumb|Poster for noticeboards, tearooms and mailing lists]]}}
Outreach to potential contributors is essential for the journal, and the target audience may include (but is not limited to) scholars and health professionals
*The journal may be '''presented''' at scholarly gatherings ([https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1SOGLdK-iDrW3id-oi3O0oFYGRPughkkt7G0IkHbxL98/edit Example presentation])
*Many '''scholars''' have written [[Wikipedia:Thesis|theses]] that are not published, but sections of which could very well fit as an article
*Also, university faculties {{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal of Medicine| and medical schools}} may be asked to present the journal to their '''students''', as a form of teaching about online information
**{{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal of Medicine|Medical students|Students}} are often required to complete a research project or literature review as a part of their studies, parts or all of which could be eligible for submission
*Writing (or inviting scholars to write) '''articles''' about open access publishing, highlighting the journal as an example (e.g. [https://aoasg.org.au/2017/09/05/open-access-medical-content-and-the-worlds-largest-encyclopedia/ AOASG] and [https://theconversation.com/why-getting-medical-information-from-wikipedia-isnt-always-a-bad-idea-59708 ''The Conversation''])
*Notify '''Wikipedia users''' (or editors at [https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Our_projects other Wikimedia projects]) who may be interested in the project on their talk pages ([[Wikipedia:User_talk:AhMedRMaaty#Wikiversity_Journal_of_Medicine.2C_an_open_access_peer_reviewed_journal_with_no_charges.2C_invites_you_to_participate|Example entry]])
*Coordinate and collaborate with '''other journals or organizations''' with similar scope and reaching out to their users/subscribers through their mailing list
*Spread the word with a [[:File:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}_Poster.pdf|poster]]
===Improve systems and procedures===
*Assist in preparing the [[WikiJournal_User_Group/Applications|applications for the journal to be listed]] in [[w:List of academic databases and search engines|academic databases and search engines]].
===Other===
*[[WikiJournal Preprints|'''Submit''']] an article to WikiJournal. See also [[WikiJournal User Group/Publishing|publishing guidelines]].
*Check on [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Potential upcoming articles|'''potential upcoming articles''']] and [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer reviewers#Community review|comment on their ''Discussion pages'']]
*Add a [[WikiJournal User Group/Peer reviewers#Community review|post-publication review]] of an [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|'''existing publication''']]
**If errors are found, there are [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial_guidelines#Editing_published_works|guidelines for editing published works]]
*[[foundation:Ways_to_Give|'''Donate''' to Wikimedia Foundation]]
*'''Translate''' journal pages into other languages ([[:sv:WikiJournal_of_Medicine|example]])
*Contribute to [[WikiJournal User Group|'''other WikiJournals''']]
==Inviting a submission==
Editors may invite submissions from anyone with suitable expertise. This can act as a way of commissioning an article on a specific topic to replace or update an existing Wikipedia article or as a new article to cover a missing topic.
For content not already on display in Wikimedia projects:
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_submission_invitation|Article submission invitation template}}
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_submission_confirmation|Article submission confirmation template}}
Articles can be adapted from existing Wikipedia pages (or other Wikimedia content). These are submitted via nomination on [[w:WP:WikiJournal_article_nominations|this page on Wikipedia]]. Changes made in response to peer review are integrated back in the Wikipedia version after publication ([https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Draft:WikiJournal_of_Medicine/The_Hippocampus&oldid=1623175 example]).
:{{clickable button 2| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_submission_invitation_(wikipedia_page)|Wikipedia Article submission template}}
==Receiving a submission==
As described at the '''[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Publishing|Publishing]]''' page, the corresponding author may write the article online or email it to {{WikiJMed submissions email}}. In the latter case, the editor-in-chief then asks whether the author wants to have their works kept confidential up until publication, mentioning that processing and peer reviewing goes faster when submissions are put directly in the wiki. Still, authors may prefer confidential processing because many journals do not accept submissions that have been in the open at any time, and thereby authors may be harmed by premature disclosure of any or all of an article submission's details. The authors' choice in this matter will determine the pathway of the ensuing procedure.
===Works without need for confidentiality===
In this case, the corresponding author is asked to [[metawiki:Special:CreateAccount|create a WikiMedia account]] and upload the work directly to [[WikiJournal Preprints]].
If authors find it troublesome to upload the works themselves, editors help out in this matter. Editors may also make edits similarly to [[#Editing_published_works|editing published works]].
Submitted works should be added as a row on the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Potential_upcoming_articles|potential upcoming articles table]]. It is also recommended to mention submission at the talk page of the Wikipedia article of the same topic if such exists already.
===Confidential works===
Discussions related to confidential works need to be held privately, such as by [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board restricted email] to members of the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board]] and [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer reviewers|peer reviewers]].
===Importing from Wikipedia===
If the submission is an existing Wikipedia article, (via nomination at the [[w:wp:WikiJournal article nominations|'embassy page' in Wikipedia]]) it can be imported via the following steps:
# [[Special:Import]] the Wikipedia page to <code>WikiJournal Preprints/Title</code> (including transcluded templates; all previous revisions not necessary for large pages)
# Remove infobox, external links, and categories
# Add {{tlx|Article info}} template to article (works best with VisualEditor) and to discussion page
# Convert all links to links to point to Wikipedia by placing the [[Template:convert links|convert_links template]]:
#* at the top of the page: <code><nowiki>{{</nowiki>[[template:convert_links|subst:convert_links]]<nowiki>|</nowiki></code>
#* at the bottom of the page: <code><nowiki>}}</nowiki></code>
# Inform author by adding <code><nowiki>{{</nowiki>[[w:template:JAN_talk|subst:JAN talk]]{{!}}article name<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> to their Wikipedia talkpage
===Creating location for peer review===
Articles with no Discuss (Talk) page yet should have a link on the right hand menu to 'Create peer review location'. Clicking this should created a page that synchronises the article header information from the corresponding article (containing the preloaded text "<code><nowiki>{{#section-h:{{ARTICLEPAGENAMEE}}}}</nowiki></code>").
===Creating article metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Creating article metadata in wikidata"></span>===
Every submitted article will need a Wikidata item to hold structured metadata (authors, dates, publication status etc). If it already has a Wikidata item, it has a link on the right hand menu "QID: Q12345". If it does not yet have a Wikidata item, it can be created by clicking the link on the right hand menu: "[[wikidata:Special:NewItem|create Wikidata item]]". Check that this item includes:
*{{P|P1476}} = article title
*{{P|P31}} = {{Q|Q580922}}
*{{P|P50}} = each author's name
**{{P|P1545}} = author order
**{{P|P968}} = email of corresponding author
*{{P|P1433}} = {{Q|Q100164397}}
*{{P|P7347}} = peer review url
*{{P|P275}} = license (usually {{Q|Q20007257}})
*{{P|P793 }} = {{Q|Q76903164}} with the qualifiers
**{{P|P585}} = date
**{{P|P276}} = {{Q|Q100164397}}
**{{P|P664}} = {{WikiJournal current volume}}
====Updating author metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating author metadata in wikidata"></span>====
Additionally, for each author:
*{{P|P108}} = current employers (e.g. university or organisation)
**{{P|P6424}} or {{P|P1416}} = affiliation (e.g. department)
*{{P|P101}} = areas of expertise
*{{P|P856}} = faculty website or equivalent
*{{P|P496}} = ORCID
*{{P|P4174}} = username
===Plagiarism checking===
All submitted works should first be checked for plagiarism. The [https://tools.wmflabs.org/copyvios/?lang=en&project=wikiversity&action=search&use_engine=1&turnitin=1|WMF copyvios tool] will identify plagiarism of any online sources. Write the results on the ''[[Wikiversity:Discuss|Discuss-page]]'' of the submission, such as:
*<nowiki>{{Pass}}</nowiki> Report from [https://tools.wmflabs.org/copyvios/?lang=en&project=wikiversity&action=search&use_engine=1&turnitin=1 WMF copyvios tool]: 0% plagiarism detected <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>
*<nowiki>{{Pass}}</nowiki> Report from [https://tools.wmflabs.org/copyvios/?lang=en&project=wikiversity&action=search&use_engine=1&turnitin=1 WMF copyvios tool] flagged some false positives (not regarded as plagiarism) due to references matching wording in published articles / attributed quotes / common stock phrases. <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>
* Report from [https://tools.wmflabs.org/copyvios/?lang=en&project=wikiversity&action=search&use_engine=1&turnitin=1 WMF copyvios tool]: 70% chance of plagiarism detected: Paragraph X closeley matches similar in source Y. <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>
Cases of reverse-plagiarism from Wikipedia (other sites plagiarising a wiki) can often be identified using the [[mw:Who_Wrote_That?|Who Wrote That tool]] to identify when the overlapping text was added to Wikipedia.
==Rejecting articles==
Some submitted manuscripts may be judged by the Editorial Board as not meeting [[WikiJournal_User_Group/Publishing#Criteria_for_inclusion|criteria for publication]]. Preferably, the handling Editor will discuss this within the Editorial Board and allow sufficient time to ensure consensus.
If there is consensus within the Editorial Board that the manuscript cannot meet the criteria for inclusion, even in future revisions of the work, than it may be rejected without further peer review ("desk reject").
A manuscript might also be rejected after peer review, if the reviewers raise appropriate points which the authors do not want or are unable or unwilling to address. In such instances, if the authors do to pursue further publication, the work can be ''archived'' as no longer active, rather than rejected.
If however, a complete overhaul would later make the article suitable for further peer review (''e.g.'' manuscript initially had no or almost no supporting references, and these are later added), than the work can be resubmitted again through the original submission process.
Editors can find a sample rejection letter [[WikiJournal_User_Group/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_declined_for_publication|'''here''']].
Currently, only "nonsense" pages are deleted through the standard deletion process. Whether or not other preprints submitted via the non-confidential pathway on the wiki can be deleted upon request of the authors, is still a matter of debate. Currently, these pages would need to go through the standard [[Wikiversity:Requests for Deletion]] process.
==Arranging peer review==
Articles needing peer review can be seen at [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Potential upcoming articles|potential upcoming articles]]. Submissions require at least two invited external peer reviewers. Editorial comments and spontaneous reviews from interested readers are additionally always valued.
===Responsibility===
Each submitted work is designated to one or more "[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors#Coordinator|peer review coordinator]]" among journal editors. The review coordinator is in charge of organising the peer review invitations and monitoring the submission through the peer review process.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Review_coordinator_introduction|Introduction of review coordinators to authors template}}
===Finding peer reviewers===
Suitable peer reviewers can be found by the following methods:
# Authors may recommend suitably qualified peer reviewers to review their submitted manuscript. The peer review coordinator should look at this item in the authorship declaration form (access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]).
# Check the recent papers cited by the submission.
# Search the submission's keywords on [https://scholia.toolforge.org/topic Scholia]
# Search scholarly databases using key phrases to find recent publications (e.g. [https://scholar.google.com G-Scholar], [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ Pubmed], [https://www.scopus.com Scopus], [https://zbmath.org zbMATH Open (for Mathematics)])
# Search by field or keyword in [https://publons.com/researcher/?order_by=verified_reviews_performed_last_12_months Publons]
# Search by abstract or key phrases in [http://jane.biosemantics.org/ JANE database].
#Search by key phrases at [https://www.semanticscholar.org/ semanticscholar]
In general, prioritise contacting reviewers who've published during the last 5 years. In addition to contacting the corresponding authors, the less senior authors often have a higher response rates when contacted. The response rate of the first round of reviewer invitations can inform how many emails will be needed in the second round of invitations. It is worth considering whether to ensure that one of the peer reviewers was not specifically recommended by the authors (peer review coordinator's discretion).
[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer reviewers|Peer reviewers]] must fulfill the following criteria:
* Public contact information, or be willing to be contacted by a Wikimedia volunteer by [[Wikiversity:Peer review verification|peer review verification]] if necessary, wherein only [[Wikiversity:OTRS|trusted participants]] know the identity.
* Expertise in the specific field of the article to be reviewed and be willing to confirm their credentials if requested
* Open identity recommended, but may remain anonymous
Prospective peer reviewers should also state any conflicts of interests if applicable. For example, if the peer reviewer is an author of an article that is used as a reference in the article submission at hand, this should be mentioned among conflicts of interest.
===Inviting a peer reviewer===
Invitation emails to potential peer reviewers are tailored to the associated article submissions and reviewer and may describe why that person in particular was chosen as a reviewer. Reviews should ideally be submitted via the '''[https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6X4MbTAz_Vx4G_XDpXKE-KSa7NZsqMtJ71poJSg-mgwxy8g/viewform peer review submission form]'''. Example templates are included below.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Inviting_a_review|Peer review request template (new content)}}
===Reminding a peer reviewer===
Note that reviewers will often respond to a second email sent a week or two later even if they did not respond to the first.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Reminding_a_reviewer|Peer review reminder templates}}
===Confirming a peer reviewer===
Once a reviewer has confirmed that they are willing to review an article, the full manuscript should be provided. The email should contain the article to be reviewed as an attachment, and a link to the url if the pre-print draft is available. Be sure to check if the article ''authors'' have requested to be anonymised for the peer review.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Confirming_a_reviewer|Peer review confirmation template}}
===Importing reviews===
In case a work has already undergone a peer review by another journal or reviewing service, that peer review can count in {{ROOTPAGENAME}} if the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Peer_reviewers#Criteria|peer reviewer criteria]] are met. This requires that the editorial board gets to know the identity of the peer reviewer, and that the reviewer agrees to have it published under creative commons license ([[creativecommons:by-sa/3.0/|CC BY-SA]]). External peer reviews that do not fulfill these criteria should still be uploaded if possible, but do not count to the minimum of 2 independent peer reviews for each article.
==Processing received peer reviews==
=== Checking the review ===
Reviews submitted via the [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6X4MbTAz_Vx4G_XDpXKE-KSa7NZsqMtJ71poJSg-mgwxy8g/viewform peer review form] appear in the tracking spreadsheet (access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]<!-- Physierkwelt 24-06-07: I see a group with the last message from 2020, which does not redirect me to the Excel spreadsheet-->). Received peer reviews should first be checked for any disclosure of conflicts of interests, even if merely saying "none declared". Emailed peer reviews should, in addition, be checked for inclusion of:
* The title of the work that is peer reviewed
* Date of the peer review (or last date of peer review period)
* A [[Wikiversity:Uploading_files#Free_licenses|licensing statement that allows usage in Wikiversity]]
If the peer review lacks any of these criteria, a request should be sent to the peer reviewer to supplement to peer review.
===Uploading the review===
Submitted peer reviews will appear in the submitted review spreadsheet (access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]). Reviews should be added to the "discussion" page of the article after checking whether the reviewer requested anonymity. Ideally, it should be formatted with the {{Tlx|Review}} template. If peer review was submitted as a PDF, then [[Special:Upload|upload the file]] and add the link in the {{Para|pdf}} parameter.
The author should be informed by email (in the authors declaration responses spreadsheet, access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup])
::{{clickable button 2| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Reviewer_comments_complete|Reviewer comments submitted template}}
===Updating review metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating review metadata in wikidata"></span>===
When a review is posted to the article discussion page, check to see if the peer reviewer has a wikidata item (if they do not, create one). Add their QID to the {{Para|Q}} parameter on the peer review text. A button should then appear to add the information to Wikidata (you will need to have made 50 previous edits to wikidata for this button to work):
*{{P|P4032}} = peer reviewer
**{{P|P585}} = date (if reviewer doesn't request to see review again after author responses)
**{{P|P580}} = date (if reviewer requests to see review again after author responses, with {{P|P582}} when they agree their comments have been fully addressed)If the peer reviewer was anonymous, you will also need to add some information to the article's wikidata item ([[Wikidata:Q99676829|example]]):
*{{P|P4032}} = {{Q|Q4233718}}
**{{P|P101}} = areas of expertise
**{{P|P512}} = degree (if there would be any ambiguity of PhD/MD/PsyD etc)
====Updating reviewer metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating reviewer metadata in wikidata"></span>====
Additionally, each reviewer should have:
*{{P|P108}} = current employers (e.g. university or organisation)
**{{P|P6424}} or {{P|P1416}} = affiliation (e.g. department)
*{{P|P101}} = areas of expertise
*{{P|P856}} = faculty website or equivalent
*{{P|P496}} = ORCID
==Article amendments and publication decision==
=== Author response to review ===
At this stage, the authors of the article are asked to amend the issues brought up in the peer review.
# Editing the article itself to address any issues
# Responding to all comments raised by the reviewers (using the {{Tlx|Response}}template)
Once the article has been revised, the peer reviewer(s) should be notified if they have requested it in the peer reviewer form (access via [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]). The editor can also contact one or more peer reviewers again if they are uncertain whether an author's response fully addressed a reviewer's comments, or if the author has added significant new content that needs to be seen by a reviewer.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Second_check_by_a_reviewer_if_requested|Reviewer final check template}}
=== Editorial decision ===
An article is ready to be brought by the peer review coordinator to the editorial board for a decision once:
*Two or more external peer reviewers have given feedback on the article
*The author has addressed all reviewer's comments (peer reviewers may request to see the article again after amendments)
*The peer review coordinator always has the option to invite further reviews if they deem it useful (e.g. if initial peer reviewers disagree with one another)
{{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal of Medicine
|*Medical content intended for integration into Wikipedia should be checked for compatibility with Wikipedia's [[w:WP:MEDMOS|medical style guidelines]] and [[w:WP:MEDRS|medical referencing guidelines]]. It is recommended to post a notice at [[w:WT:MED|WikiProject Medicine]] for feedback.
}}
In such cases, the peer review coordinator should notify the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial_board|editorial board]] with a summary of their recommendation to accept, decline, or request further changes. The editorial board will then take one-two weeks to form a consensus on whether the article is suitable for publication. In trivial cases (e.g. if the author has not responded to reviewer comments) the review coordinator can make the decision to decline and inform the editorial board.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Editorial_board_publication_decision_needed|Editorial board notification template}}
==== Accepting articles ====
Articles that are approved by the editorial board for inclusion in the journal go through the following processes:
*[[#Updating_published_article_metadata_in_Wikidata|update the metadata in Wikidata]]
*[[#Page_location|Move the article page]] to "''{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Title''"
*[[#Assignment_of_digital_object_identifier|Assign a digital object identifier]] (DOI)
*[[#Inclusion_in_the_current_volume_and_issue|Include the {{tlc|Article info}} template]] at the top of the current issue of [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}]] (source page located under "[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Issues|Journal issues]]" at top menu)
*[[#PDF_files|Create the PDF file]]
*[[#Depositing_XML|Link to an XML file]]
*[[#Inform_the_authors|Inform the corresponding author]] about article acceptance
Article authors may be asked to translate the abstract into other languages they know. A translated abstract should be put in the Wikiversity of that language if available.
==== Declining articles ====
If the decision is made to decline an article, the step are similar:
* Inform the corresponding author about the decision and reasons
* Add to article's Wikidata item: {{P|P793}} = {{Q|Q98398200}} with the qualifier {{P|P585}} = date
* Add an explanation of the decision to the article's talkpage
* If the article was adapted from Wikipedia, add a link on the Wikipedia article's talkpage pointing to the review
==Inclusion of approved articles==
[[File:WikiJournal publishing instructions 1.webm|thumb|Accepted article processing steps (turn on captions)]]
=== Updating published article metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating published article metadata in wikidata"></span>===
Ensure that the article's Wikidata item is filled in ([[#Creating_article_metadata_in_Wikidata|this data]] should already be present). This will update the information everywhere else. In particular, the following must be added:
*{{P|P356}} = 10.15347/{{WJX}}/{{CURRENTYEAR}}.XXX (where XXX is the chronological order of the work for this year)
*{{P|P31}} = {{Q|Q13442814}} (and remove {{Q|Q580922}})
*{{P|P1433}} = {{Q|{{WJQ}}}}
*{{P|P577}} = date
*{{P|P478}} = {{WikiJournal current volume}} (for {{CURRENTYEAR}}; this is updated every year)
*{{P|P433}} = 1
*{{P|P304}} = the chronological order of the work for this year
*{{P|P953}} = URL of final PDF
*{{P|P1104}} = number of pages in the final PDF
Additionally, ideally information should be added ([[Wikidata:Q96317242|example]]):
*{{P|P921}} = main subject
*{{P|P4510}} = methods/techniques/conceptual frameworks
*{{P|P2860}} = references cited
===Page location===
[[Meta:Help:Moving a page|Move]] the page from <code>WikiJournal_Preprints/Title</code> to <code>{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Title</code> (this will also automatically update in the article's Wikidata record).
===Inclusion in the current volume and issue===
Once the publication date is added on Wikidata, published articles will automatically appear in the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Volume_{{WikiJournal current volume}}_Issue_1|current journal issue]] at midnight UTC (added by [[User:WikiJournalBot]]).
===Assignment of digital object identifier===
Assignment of a DOI to an article is done through [[Wikipedia:Crossref|Crossref]] (log-in details in [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]) via their [https://manage.crossref.org/records Metadata Manager page], using the following metadata:
<u>New record submission</u>
:Type: Journal Article
<u>Article information</u>
:Article title: '''title of article'''
:Article DOI: '''10.15347/{{WJX|wjx|lc=true}}/{{CURRENTYEAR}}.XXX''' (where XXX is the chronological order of the work for this year)
:Article landing URL: '''full URL of article'''
<br />
:Contributors: '''add each author and their ORCiD''' (affiliation / institution is recommended, but not mandatory if contributor is an independent researcher or does not wish to disclose affiliation)
:Role: select if they are the first author or an additional author
<br />
:Abstract: paste the plain text version of the article abstract (without wiki markup or references)
:Language of abstract: '''English''' in most cases, unless abstract is also available in non-English language or the article is a translated in its entirety of the accepted version of the English article
<br />
:Published online date: '''enter the accepted date'''
:Published in print date: (leave blank)
<br />
:First page number: (leave blank)
:Article number or ID: '''X''' (where X is the chronological order of the work for this year)
<br />
:Funding: (optional, fill in if author includes information in their submission form or acknowledgement)
:Similarity Check full text URL: '''full URL of article'''
<br />
:Type of Relationships: (only used if there is a translated article or correction)
:References: copy the entire reference section of the article and paste them into this field
<u>Journal information</u>
:Online ISSN: '''{{WikiJournal ISSN nodash}}'''
:Print ISSN: (leave blank)
:Full title: '''''{{ROOTPAGENAME}}'''''
:Abbreviated title: '''''{{Wiki J Xyz}}'''''
<u>Issue information</u>
:Issue published online date: find the first accepted article's publication date within this issue
:Issue published in print: (leave blank)
:Issue number: '''1''' (updated every 6-15 articles if more are published in a year)
:Volume number: '''{{WikiJournal current volume}}''' (for {{CURRENTYEAR}}; this is updated every year)
Use the "Edit Record" function to correct any mistakes.
<u>User information</u>
:Username: see [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]
:Password: see [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]
:e-mail: '''{{ {{WikiJXyz}}_general_contact_email}}'''
===Submitting reference metadata===
Logging links to an article's references is also done through [[Wikipedia:Crossref|Crossref]] (log-in details in [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]) via their [https://apps.crossref.org/SimpleTextQuery Simple text form]:
*Copy and paste all the references from the article over to the [https://apps.crossref.org/SimpleTextQuery Crossref form] and click 'Submit'
*Scroll down to the bottom of the generated page and click 'Deposit'
*Include the information:
:Email address: '''{{ {{WikiJXyz}}_general_contact_email}}'''
:Parent DOI: DOI of the WikiJournal article for which you are adding references
:Username: see [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]
:Password: see [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/{{WJX}}board editorial board googlegroup]
===Registering article in DOAJ===
Individual articles can be indexed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (log-in details in [https://groups.google.com/g/wikijournal-technical technical editorial googlegroup]) through their [https://doaj.org/publisher/metadata article metadata form].
===Depositing XML===
When a DOI has been obtained from Crossref and added to the article, a link will appear on the right of the article to 'Deposit' the XML. Clicking that link will create an /XML subpage containing the preloaded text "<code><nowiki>{{#section-h:{{subst:#titleparts:{{subst:PAGENAMEE}}|</nowiki>'''volume'''{{!}}'''issue'''<nowiki>}}}}</nowiki></code>" which, when saved, will format the XML metadata automatically ([[WikiJournal of Medicine/The Cerebellum/XML|Example]]). Alternatively, an XML-file will be sent to {{{{WikiJXyz}} general contact email}} which can be pasted into the /XML subpage. One saved, the link on the right of the article will read 'Download' in stead of 'Deposit'.
===Inform the authors===
Authors should be notified with the article's acceptance and its doi. Authors can assist in several of the post-acceptance steps if they choose by [[#PDF files|formatting the PDF]] and/or [[#Wikipedia inclusion|integrating content into Wikipedia]].
Otherwise a journal editor should do these.
:{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Article_accepted_for_publication|Article acceptance template}}
==PDF files==
===Creation of PDF files===
[[File:WikiJournal PDF formatting.webm|thumb|Accepted article PDF formatting (turn on captions)]]
# First, the article's {{tlx|Article info}} template should be checked to make sure that the information is up to date
# The PDF should be formatted using the standardised blank template (MS word 2013 or later recommended)
#: {{#ifeq:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|WikiJournal User Group
|Article formatting templates (.docx): [{{WikiJMed_PDF_template}} WikiJMed] / [{{WikiJSci_PDF_template}} WikiJSci] / [{{WikiJHum_PDF_template}} WikiJHum]
|{{clickable button 2| url={{{{WikiJXyz}}_PDF_template}} | Accepted article formatting template (.docx)}}
}}
# Copy the article's material from the wiki page into the docx template
#* Text sections and publication data (e.g. date) are copied and pasted from the wiki page into the docx template. Pasting with the "Merge formatting" option should keep source formatting but use the font and text size of the template.
#* Wiki links and hyperlinks to references should be preserved when copying from the wiki page into the docx template (in blue color but not underscored).
#* Figures should be pasted from the full-resolution versions on Wikimedia commons (not the lower-resolution previews shows on article wiki pages)
# Use Ctrl+H to find-replace <code>space</code> with <code>space</code> (WikiMarkup often includes non-breaking spaces)
# Remove "↑ Jump to" from reference list
# File > Options > Advanced > Image Size and Quality > "Do Not Compress images in file" (retain full-resolution images)
# File > Save as > docx
# File > Save as > PDF (avoid [[Wikipedia:Portable_Document_Format#Software|PDF "printing"]] since this can lead to misformatting)
# Final PDF chacks: zoom in on figures to confirm resolution, test a selection of hyperlinks, look for any misformatted or overlapping text, and compare overall formatting against a previously published article.
===Uploading PDF files to the journal===
#Upload the docx file to {{#switch:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}
|WikiJournal User Group = [https://drive.google.com/open?id=1oi98pP7oO9CyAeQUFOJDr4pj3EkcImQS WikiJSci docx folder] / [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4LQzkvkbO9YYlZRZDUxVlNtdW8 WikiJMed docx folder] / [https://drive.google.com/open?id=1gvpVH8_ajSKiQ2rp2eUjuAG6pDMvAdUl WikiJHum docx folder]
|WikiJournal of Medicine = [https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4LQzkvkbO9YYlZRZDUxVlNtdW8 WikiJMed docx folder]
|WikiJournal of Science = [https://drive.google.com/open?id=1oi98pP7oO9CyAeQUFOJDr4pj3EkcImQS WikiJSci docx folder]
|WikiJournal of Humanities = [https://drive.google.com/open?id=1gvpVH8_ajSKiQ2rp2eUjuAG6pDMvAdUl WikiJHum docx folder]
}}
#[[Special:Upload|Upload the PDF file to Wikiversity]]. Name the PDF the exact same as the article title (omit any <code>:</code> characters, since they can't be included in filenames)
#*On the file page, in stead of {{tlc|Information}}, use <code><nowiki>{{subst:InformationQ|Q1234568}}</nowiki></code> using the article's Wikidata QID.
===Updating PDF files===
When a minor update to an article is needed, the docx version (linked from the bottom of the wiki page) should be used as the starting template, with changes copied across from the article's wiki page.
For major updates, it may be best to create the document again from scratch using the blank [{{{{WikiJXyz}}_PDF_template}} .docx template].
The updated PDF can be uploaded by going to the <code>File:[Article title].pdf</code> page and clicking "Upload a new version of this file".
==Wikipedia inclusion==
Different [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Publishing#Publication_formats|types of articles]] have differing potential for Wikipedia integration. Articles that review and summarise existing knowledge from other [[w:wp:Reliable sources|reliable sources]] can be copied as content into Wikipedia. [[w:wp:Original research|Original research]] cannot be copied into Wikipedia. Any content integrated into Wikipedia will then be updatable over time in the same manner as any [[Wikipedia:Ownership of content|other Wikipedia content]]. Please note that it is up to the consensus of the Wikipedia editor community as to whether to accept, edit or omit any added content.
===As content===
*Articles written in an encyclopedia review format may be fully copied into Wikipedia. Such Wikipedia articles also should also have the <code>{{[[w:template:Academic peer reviewed|Academic peer reviewed]]}}</code> template added at the beginning of their reference section. ([[wikipedia:Cerebellum|example]])
*Short articles written in a mini review format may be added as a section of a relevant Wikipedia article and should be added to the category [[:wikipedia:category:Wikipedia articles with sections published in {{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}]]. ([[wikipedia:Gene#Structure and function|example]])
*Images should be added to relevant articles, as long as they [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:No original research#Original images|do not illustrate unpublished ideas or arguments]]. The WikiJournal article should be [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Citing sources|cited as a reference]] in the image caption in Wikipedia. ([[wikipedia:Steroidogenic enzyme|example]])
Only encyclopedic content should be integrated into the encyclopedia. In all cases, any [[w:wp:OR|discussion, speculation or outlook sections]] should be omitted from the version integrated into Wikipedia.
;Process
*The author(s) of the WikiJournal article should be invited to perform this integration.
*The edit summaries should ideally include a link to the work in WikiJournal and specify the CC license (for at least the first edit summary), E.g.:
*:"<code><nowiki>Adding/Updating section XYZ from [[v:</nowiki>{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}<nowiki>/...]], [[doi:10.15347/</nowiki>{{WJX|wjx|lc=true}}/{{CURRENTYEAR}}<nowiki>.XXX]] under a CC-BY-SA license</nowiki></code>"<br> Note: check relevant section, link, DOI, and license
*Changes in the material to adapt to Wikipedia's format may include:
** Decide if any parts of the WikiJournal article need to be omited from the Wikipedia page (original research / opinions / perspectives / conclusions)
** If a current Wikipedia page on the topic already exists decide which parts to keep
** If an image appears only in Wikiversity but not in the Wikipedia article, move it to Wikimedia Commons: [[Commons:Commons:Moving files to Commons|Moving files to Commons]]
** Remove <code>w:</code> prefixes in links (tidier, but not strictly necessary)
** Replace <code><nowiki>[[xyz|xyz]]</nowiki></code> with <code><nowiki>[[xyz]]</nowiki></code> (tidier, but not strictly necessary)
* Add to the Wikidata item: {{P|P793}} = {{Q|Q17853087}} with the qualifiers
**{{P|P585}} = date
**{{P|P4969}} = {{Q|Q52}}
**{{P|P2699}} = URL of Wikipedia page
* Add the <code><nowiki>{{</nowiki>[[w:template:Academic peer reviewed|Academic peer reviewed]]<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> template in the References and at the top of the Talk page
==Scientific misconduct==
Any person suspecting [[Wikipedia:Scientific misconduct|scientific misconduct]] of any article should [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Contact|contact the editor-in-chief]] or an [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editors#Editorial_board_members|editorial board members]], who in turn should bring any suspected scientific misconduct to the knowledge of the entire board. [[Wikipedia:Committee on Publication Ethics|COPE]] has flowcharts for different types of situations: [https://publicationethics.org/resources/flowcharts].
Upon suspected scientific misconduct by an author or reviewer, the next step is generally that an editor contacts the corresponding author or reviewer to ask for an explanation. COPE has examples of letters to authors in such cases [http://publicationethics.org/resources/ sample-letters]. Such letters should not accuse authors or reviewers, but should rather state the facts clearly, and allow them to explain their actions before coming to a decision.
;See also
[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Ethics_statement#Contact_and_dispute_resolution|Ethics statement]]
==Adding and removing journal editors==
===Adding editorial board members===
Once an editorial board member applicant has clear consensus ([[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Bylaws#Section 3. Appointment|relevant bylaws]]), they can be accepted to the board by the following steps.
# Add this text <code><nowiki>{{subst:</nowiki>[[Template:WikiJournal accepted board member|WikiJournal accepted board member]]<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> underneath their application on the [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board applications page]], which will paste these points as a checklist <section begin=checklist_board/>
# [[{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_board_member|Send a welcome message and confirm their preferred email address]] (usually in their provided website link, else via [[Special:EmailUser]])<br>{{clickable button 2
| url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_board_member|Onboarding email template}}
# If they do not yet have a Wikidata item, create one
# Copy their information over to [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board page]] using the {{tlx|Editor info}} template (including their Wikidata QID)
# The above step will create a button that will update the [[d:{{WJQboard|default=Q75674277}}|relevant editorial board]] on Wikidata
# Direct-add them to the {{WJX}}board mailing list ([https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!managemembers/{{WJX}}board/add via this link]) which will grant them access to the private page only visible to board members
# Welcome them at the {{WJX}}board mailing list so that they are informed
# Finally, move the application to [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editors/Archive_{{CURRENTYEAR}}|this year's archive page]]
<section end=checklist_board/>
===Removing editorial board members===
Members can be removed from the editorial board by their own request (either completely, or changing to be an associate editor) or can be voted out ([[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Bylaws#Section_3._Removal relevant bylaws]]).
# Removal from the {{WJX}}board mailing list ([https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!managemembers/{{WJX}}board/members/active via this link])
# Moving their information from the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial board|editorial board page]] to the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editorial_board#Previous_board_members|Previous board members section]]
# Removal of any social media accesses that they were granted
# Send a confirmation email to them and cc in the {{WJX}}board mailing list so that they and the board are informed
===Adding associate editors===
Associate editors are accepted by consensus of the editorial board, and their addition follows these steps
# Add this text <code><nowiki>{{subst:</nowiki>[[Template:WikiJournal accepted associate editor|WikiJournal accepted associate editor]]<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> underneath their application on the [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors|associate editor applications page]], which will paste these points as a checklist <section begin=checklist_assoc/>
# [[{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_associate_editor|Send a welcome message and confirm their preferred email address]] (usually in their provided website link, else via [[Special:EmailUser]])<br>{{clickable button 2
|url=https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/{{ROOTPAGENAMEE}}/Editorial_guidelines/Message_templates#Onboarding_a_new_associate_editor|Onboarding email template}}
# If they do not yet have a Wikidata item, create one
# Copy their information over to the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors|associate editor page]] using the {{tlx|Editor info}} template (including Wikidata QID)
# The above step will create a button that will update the [[d:{{WJQassoc|default=Q104167540}}|relevant associate editor list]] on Wikidata
# Email the {{WJX}}board mailing list so that they are informed
# Finally, move the application to [[Talk:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Editors/Archive_{{<includeonly>subst:</includeonly>CURRENTYEAR}}|this year's archive page]] <section end=checklist_assoc/>
Note that associate editors are ''not'' added to the {{WJX}}board mailing list and so do not gain access to journal passwords or confidential information.
===Removing associate editors===
Members can be removed from the associate editor team by their own request, they can request to join the editorial board, or can be voted out ([[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Bylaws#Section_3._Removal relevant bylaws]]).
# Removal of their information from the [[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}/Associate editors|associate editor page]]
# Removal of any social media accesses that they were granted
# Send a confirmation email to them and cc in the {{WJX}}board mailing list so that they and the board are informed
===Updating editor metadata in Wikidata <span class="anchor" id="Updating editor metadata in Wikidata"></span>===
Add to the relevant editorial team ({{Q|{{WJQboard}}}} or {{Q|{{WJQassoc}}}}):
*{{P|P98}} = editor
**{{P|P580}} = date
Additionally, to each editor:
*{{P|P108}} = current employers (e.g. university or organisation)
**{{P|P6424}} or {{P|P1416}} = affiliation (e.g. department)
*{{P|P101}} = areas of expertise
*{{P|P856}} = faculty website or equivalent
*{{P|P496}} = ORCID
*{{P|P4174}} = username
==Social media accounts==
===Adding admins===
Editors interested in being an admin for a journal's [https://www.facebook.com/{{WikiJXyz|default=WikiJSci}} Facebook] and [https://twitter.com/{{WikiJXyz|default=WikiJSci}} Twitter] accounts should contact the Editor in Chief and/or current social media team. Admins can be either added directly by the EiC, or by consensus of the current social media admins. New admins should be added to the [https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!forum/wikijournal-social-media social media admin google group].
Due to the very public nature of social media, there is a two-week probationary period before being being given account passwords:
* [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd7UOiidYOAzkBfAVBe8eWwE5mbmvRF6wR3NDfTgnj0dDdBFQ/viewform Suggest 5 social media posts] over a 2 week period
* [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd7UOiidYOAzkBfAVBe8eWwE5mbmvRF6wR3NDfTgnj0dDdBFQ/viewform Suggest 10 accounts] to follow
Twitter is especially sensitive, since a single account password is shared, whereas for Facebook users can be added as having 'editor' permissions to post content.
===Recommended use of social media===
General guidelines:
*Be sure anything shared/reposted aligns with journal principles
*When citing a publication, always include the doi
*Include an image whenever possible
Examples posts:
*A catchy summary of published WikiJournal article
*Retweet article summary from other WikiJournal that may be relevant to audience
*Any info from WikiJournal site (e.g. aims / scope / editor info etc)
*Relevant news articles from other outlets
*Retweet relevant posts (about e.g. open access, Wikipedia, outreach, science communications)
[[Category:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:WikiJournal guidelines]]
sx0imvt81ee8yehit6fei4u5lpksk96
User talk:Bnhassin
3
250786
2805648
2804567
2026-04-20T15:00:34Z
MediaWiki message delivery
983498
/* Tech News: 2026-17 */ new section
2805648
wikitext
text/x-wiki
== First Message Posting ==
Update Talk on Wikiversity [[User:Bnhassin|Bnhassin]] ([[User talk:Bnhassin|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Bnhassin|contribs]]) 21:04, 29 June 2019 (UTC)
== Update Sandbox User ==
== Posting to sandbox ==
Update Sandbox on Wikiversity [[User:Bnhassin/sandbox]] ([[User talk:Bnhassin|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Bnhassin|contribs]])[[User:Bnhassin|Bnhassin]] ([[User talk:Bnhassin|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Bnhassin|contribs]]) 11:04, 25 October 2020 (UTC)
== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2020/50|Tech News: 2020-50]] ==
<section begin="technews-2020-W50"/><div class="plainlinks mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2020/50|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* You can now put pages on your watchlist for a limited period of time. Some wikis already had this function. [https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Community_Tech/Watchlist_Expiry][https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Watchlist_expiry]
'''Changes later this week'''
* Information from Wikidata that is used on a wiki page can be shown in recent changes and watchlists on a Wikimedia wiki. To see this you need to turn on showing Wikidata edits in your watchlist in the preferences. Changes to the Wikidata description in the language of a Wikimedia wiki will then be shown in recent changes and watchlists. This will not show edits to languages that are not relevant to your wiki. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikidata/2020-November/014402.html][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T191831]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/wmf.21|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2020-12-08|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2020-12-09|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2020-12-10|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* You can vote on proposals in the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey 2021|Community Wishlist Survey]] between 8 December and 21 December. The survey decides what the [[m:Community Tech|Community Tech team]] will work on.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2020/50|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div></div> <section end="technews-2020-W50"/> 16:15, 7 December 2020 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2020/51|Tech News: 2020-51]] ==
<section begin="technews-2020-W51"/><div class="plainlinks mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2020/51|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* There is a [[mw:Wikipedia for KaiOS|Wikipedia app]] for [[:w:en:KaiOS|KaiOS]] phones. It was released in India in September. It can now be downloaded in other countries too. [https://diff.wikimedia.org/2020/12/10/growing-wikipedias-reach-with-an-app-for-kaios-feature-phones/]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/wmf.22|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2020-12-15|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2020-12-16|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2020-12-17|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2020/51|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div></div> <section end="technews-2020-W51"/> 21:34, 14 December 2020 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2020/52|Tech News: 2020-52]] ==
<section begin="technews-2020-W52"/><div class="plainlinks mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2020/52|Translations]] are available.
'''Tech News'''
* Because of the [[w:en:Christmas and holiday season|holidays]] the next issue of Tech News will be sent out on 11 January 2021.
'''Recent changes'''
* The <code><nowiki>{{citation needed}}</nowiki></code> template shows when a statement in a Wikipedia article needs a source. If you click on it when you edit with the visual editor there is a popup that explains this. Now it can also show the reason and when it was added. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T270107]
'''Changes later this week'''
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week or next week.
'''Future changes'''
* You can [[m:WMDE Technical Wishes/Geoinformation/Ideas|propose and discuss]] what technical improvements should be done for geographic information. This could be coordinates, maps or other related things.
* Some wikis use [[mw:Writing systems/LanguageConverter|LanguageConverter]] to switch between writing systems or variants of a language. This can only be done for the entire page. There will be a <code><nowiki><langconvert></nowiki></code> tag that can convert a piece of text on a page. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T263082]
* Oversighters and stewards can hide entries in [[Special:AbuseLog|Special:AbuseLog]]. They can soon hide multiple entries at once using checkboxes. This works like hiding normal edits. It will happen in early January. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T260904]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2020/52|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div></div> <section end="technews-2020-W52"/> 20:54, 21 December 2020 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/02|Tech News: 2021-02]] ==
<section begin="technews-2021-W02"/><div class="plainlinks mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/02|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* You can choose to be reminded when you have not added an edit summary. This can be done in your preferences. This could conflict with the [[:w:en:CAPTCHA|CAPTCHA]]. This has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T12729]
* You can link to specific log entries. You can get these links for example by clicking the timestamps in the log. Until now, such links to private log entries showed no entry even if you had permission to view private log entries. The links now show the entry. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T269761]
* Admins can use the [[:mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:AbuseFilter|abuse filter tool]] to automatically prevent bad edits. Three changes happened last week:
** The filter editing interface now shows syntax errors while you type. This is similar to JavaScript pages. It also shows a warning for regular expressions that match the empty string. New warnings will be added later. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T187686]
** [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Meta:Oversighters|Oversighters]] can now hide multiple filter log entries at once using checkboxes on [[Special:AbuseLog]]. This is how the usual revision deletion works. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T260904]
** When a filter matches too many actions after it has been changed it is "throttled". The most powerful actions are disabled. This is to avoid many editors getting blocked when an administrator made a mistake. The administrator will now get a notification about this "throttle".
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] There is a new tool to [https://skins.wmflabs.org/?#/add build new skins]. You can also [https://skins.wmflabs.org/?#/ see] existing [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Skins|skins]]. You can [[mw:User talk:Jdlrobson|give feedback]]. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikitech-l/2020-December/094130.html]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] Bots using the API no longer watch pages automatically based on account preferences. Setting the <code>watchlist</code> to <code>watch</code> will still work. This is to reduce the size of the watchlist data in the database. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T258108]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Scribunto|Scribunto's]] [[:mw:Extension:Scribunto/Lua reference manual#File metadata|file metadata]] now includes length. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T209679]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] [[:w:en:CSS|CSS]] and [[:w:en:JavaScript|JavaScript]] code pages now have link anchors to [https://patchdemo.wmflabs.org/wikis/40e4795d4448b55a6d8c46ff414bcf78/w/index.php/MediaWiki:En.js#L-125 line numbers]. You can use wikilinks like [[:w:en:MediaWiki:Common.js#L-50]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T29531]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] There was a [[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/wmf.25|new version]] of MediaWiki last week. You can read [[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/wmf.25/Changelog|a detailed log]] of all 763 changes. Most of them are very small and will not affect you.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/wmf.26|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-01-12|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-01-13|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-01-14|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/02|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div></div> <section end="technews-2021-W02"/> 15:42, 11 January 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/03|Tech News: 2021-03]] ==
<section begin="technews-2021-W03"/><div class="plainlinks mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/03|Translations]] are available.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/wmf.27|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-01-19|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-01-20|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-01-21|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth|Growth team]] plans to add features to [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Personalized first day/Newcomer tasks/Experiment analysis, November 2020|get more visitors to edit]] to more Wikipedias. You can help [https://translatewiki.net/w/i.php?title=Special:Translate&group=ext-growthexperiments&language=&filter=&action=translate translating the interface].
* You will be able to read but not to edit Wikimedia Commons for a short time on [https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?iso=20210126T07 {{#time:j xg|2021-01-26|en}} at 07:00 (UTC)]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T271791]
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/MassMessage|MassMessage]] posts could be automatically timestamped in the future. This is because MassMessage senders can now send pages using MassMessage. Pages are more difficult to sign. If there are times when a MassMessage post should not be timestamped you can [[phab:T270435|let the developers know]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/03|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div></div> <section end="technews-2021-W03"/> 16:10, 18 January 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/04|Tech News: 2021-04]] ==
<section begin="technews-2021-W04"/><div class="plainlinks mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/04|Translations]] are available.
'''Problems'''
* You will be able to read but not to edit Wikimedia Commons for a short time on [https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?iso=20210126T07 {{#time:j xg|2021-01-26|en}} at 07:00 (UTC)]. You will not be able to read or edit [[:wikitech:Main Page|Wikitech]] for a short time on [https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?iso=20210128T09 {{#time:j xg|2021-01-28|en}} at 09:00 (UTC)]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T271791][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T272388]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[m:WMDE Technical Wishes/Bracket Matching|Bracket matching]] will be added to the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeMirror|CodeMirror]] syntax highlighter on the first wikis. The first wikis are German and Catalan Wikipedia and maybe other Wikimedia wikis. This will happen on 27 January. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T270238]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/wmf.28|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-01-26|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-01-27|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-01-28|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/04|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div></div> <section end="technews-2021-W04"/> 18:31, 25 January 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/05|Tech News: 2021-05]] ==
<section begin="technews-2021-W05"/><div class="plainlinks mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/05|Translations]] are available.
'''Problems'''
* [[:w:en:IPv6|IPv6 addresses]] were written in lowercase letters in diffs. This caused dead links since [[Special:Contributions|Special:Contributions]] only accepted uppercase letters for the IPs. This has been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T272225]
'''Changes later this week'''
* You can soon use Wikidata to link to pages on the multilingual Wikisource. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T138332]
* Often editors use a "non-breaking space" to make a gap between two items when reading but still show them together. This can be used to avoid a line break. You will now be able to add new ones via the special character tool in the 2010, 2017, and visual editors. The character will be shown in the visual editor as a space with a grey background. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T70429][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T96666]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=| Advanced item]] Wikis use [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:AbuseFilter|abuse filters]] to stop bad edits being made. Filter maintainers can now use syntax like <code>1.2.3.4 - 1.2.3.55</code> as well as the <code>1.2.3.4/27</code> syntax for IP ranges. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T218074]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/wmf.29|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-02-02|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-02-03|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-02-04|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* [[mw:Skin:Minerva Neue|Minerva]] is the skin Wikimedia wikis use for mobile traffic. When a page is protected and you can't edit it you can normally read the source wikicode. This doesn't work on Minerva on mobile devices. This is being fixed. Some text might overlap. This is because your community needs to update [[MediaWiki:Protectedpagetext|MediaWiki:Protectedpagetext]] to work on mobile. You can [[phab:T208827|read more]]. [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Recommendations_for_mobile_friendly_articles_on_Wikimedia_wikis#Inline_styles_should_not_use_properties_that_impact_sizing_and_positioning][https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Recommendations_for_mobile_friendly_articles_on_Wikimedia_wikis#Avoid_tables_for_anything_except_data]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] [[:wikitech:Portal:Cloud VPS|Cloud VPS]] and [[:wikitech:Portal:Toolforge|Toolforge]] will change the IP address they use to contact the wikis. The new IP address will be <code>185.15.56.1</code>. This will happen on February 8. You can [[:wikitech:News/CloudVPS NAT wikis|read more]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/05|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div></div> <section end="technews-2021-W05"/> 22:38, 1 February 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/06|Tech News: 2021-06]] ==
<section begin="technews-2021-W06"/><div class="plainlinks mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/06|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps|Wikipedia app]] for Android now has watchlists and talk pages in the app. [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.wikipedia]
'''Changes later this week'''
* You can see edits to chosen pages on [[Special:Watchlist|Special:Watchlist]]. You can add pages to your watchlist on every wiki you like. The [[:mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:GlobalWatchlist|GlobalWatchlist]] extension will come to Meta on 11 February. There you can see entries on watched pages on different wikis on the same page. The new watchlist will be found on [[m:Special:GlobalWatchlist|Special:GlobalWatchlist]] on Meta. You can choose which wikis to watch and other preferences on [[m:Special:GlobalWatchlistSettings|Special:GlobalWatchlistSettings]] on Meta. You can watch up to five wikis. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T260862]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/wmf.30|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-02-09|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-02-10|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-02-11|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* When admins [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Protecting and unprotecting pages|protect]] pages the form will use the [[mw:UX standardization|OOUI look]]. [[Special:Import|Special:Import]] will also get the new look. This will make them easier to use on mobile phones. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T235424][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T108792]
* Some services will not work for a short period of time from 07:00 UTC on 17 February. There might be problems with new [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia URL Shortener|short links]], new translations, new notifications, adding new items to your [[mw:Reading/Reading Lists|reading lists]] or recording [[:w:en:Email#Tracking of sent mail|email bounces]]. This is because of database maintenance. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T273758]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] [[m:Tech/News/2021/05|Last week]] Tech News reported that the IP address [[:wikitech:Portal:Cloud VPS|Cloud VPS]] and [[:wikitech:Portal:Toolforge|Toolforge]] use to contact the wikis will change on 8 February. This is delayed. It will happen later instead. [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/News/CloudVPS_NAT_wikis]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/06|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div></div> <section end="technews-2021-W06"/> 17:42, 8 February 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/07|Tech News: 2021-07]] ==
<section begin="technews-2021-W07"/><div class="plainlinks mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/07|Translations]] are available.
'''Problems'''
* There were problems with recent versions of MediaWiki. Because the updates caused problems the developers rolled back to an earlier version. Some updates and new functions will come later than planned. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikitech-l/2021-February/094255.html][https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikitech-l/2021-February/094271.html]
* Some services will not work for a short period of time from 07:00 UTC on 17 February. There might be problems with new [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia URL Shortener|short links]], new translations, new notifications, adding new items to your [[mw:Reading/Reading Lists|reading lists]] or recording [[:w:en:Email#Tracking of sent mail|email bounces]]. This is because of database maintenance. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T273758]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/wmf.31|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-02-16|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-02-17|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-02-18|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/07|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div></div> <section end="technews-2021-W07"/> 17:56, 15 February 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/08|Tech News: 2021-08]] ==
<div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/08|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The visual editor will now use [[:c:Commons:Structured data/Media search|MediaSearch]] to find images. You can search for images on Commons in the visual editor when you are looking for illustrations. This is to help editors find better images. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T259896]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:SyntaxHighlight|syntax highlighter]] now works with more languages: [[:w:en:Futhark (programming language)|Futhark]], [[:w:en:Graphviz|Graphviz]]/[[:w:en:DOT (graph description language)|DOT]], CDDL and AMDGPU. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T274741]
'''Problems'''
* Editing a [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:EasyTimeline|timeline]] might have removed all text from it. This was because of a bug and has been fixed. You might need to edit the timeline again for it to show properly. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T274822]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/wmf.32|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-02-23|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-02-24|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-02-25|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] There is a [[:m:Wikimedia Rust developers user group|user group]] for developers and users interested in working on Wikimedia wikis with the [[:w:en:Rust (programming language)|Rust programming language]]. You can join or tell others who want to make your wiki better in the future.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/08|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div>
----
00:17, 23 February 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/09|Tech News: 2021-09]] ==
<div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/09|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Wikis using the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Feature summary|Growth team tools]] can now show the name of a newcomer's mentor anywhere [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Mentorship/Integrating_mentorship|through a magic word]]. This can be used for welcome messages or userboxes.
* A new version of the [[c:Special:MyLanguage/Commons:VideoCutTool|VideoCutTool]] is now available. It enables cropping, trimming, audio disabling, and rotating video content. It is being created as part of the developer outreach programs.
'''Problems'''
* There was a problem with the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Job queue|job queue]]. This meant some functions did not save changes and mass messages were delayed. This did not affect wiki edits. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T275437]
* Some editors may not be logged in to their accounts automatically in the latest versions of Firefox and Safari. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T226797]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/wmf.33|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-03-02|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-03-03|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-03-04|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/09|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div>
----
19:08, 1 March 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/10|Tech News: 2021-10]] ==
<section begin="technews-2021-W10"/><div class="plainlinks mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/10|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Content translation/Section translation|Section translation]] now works on Bengali Wikipedia. It helps mobile editors translate sections of articles. It will come to more wikis later. The first focus is active wikis with a smaller number of articles. You can [https://sx.wmflabs.org/index.php/Main_Page test it] and [[mw:Talk:Content translation/Section translation|leave feedback]].
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:FlaggedRevs|Flagged revisions]] now give admins the review right. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T275293]
* When someone links to a Wikipedia article on Twitter this will now show a preview of the article. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T276185]
'''Problems'''
* Many graphs have [[:w:en:JavaScript|JavaScript]] errors. Graph editors can check their graphs in their browser's developer console after editing. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T275833]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/wmf.34|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-03-09|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-03-10|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-03-11|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* The [[mw:Talk pages project/New discussion|New Discussion]] tool will soon be a new [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:DiscussionTools|discussion tools]] beta feature for on most Wikipedias. The goal is to make it easier to start new discussions. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T275257]
'''Future changes'''
* There will be a number of changes to make it easier to work with templates. Some will come to the first wikis in March. Other changes will come to the first wikis in June. This is both for those who use templates and those who create or maintain them. You can [[:m:WMDE Technical Wishes/Templates|read more]].
* [[m:WMDE Technical Wishes/ReferencePreviews|Reference Previews]] will become a default feature on some wikis on 17 March. They will share a setting with [[mw:Page Previews|Page Previews]]. If you prefer the Reference Tooltips or Navigation-Popups gadget you can keep using them. If so Reference Previews won't be shown. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T271206][https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:WMDE_Technical_Wishes/ReferencePreviews]
* New JavaScript-based functions will not work in [[:w:en:Internet Explorer 11|Internet Explorer 11]]. This is because Internet Explorer is an old browser that doesn't work with how JavaScript is written today. Everything that works in Internet Explorer 11 today will continue working in Internet Explorer for now. You can [[mw:Compatibility/IE11|read more]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/10|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div></div> <section end="technews-2021-W10"/> 17:51, 8 March 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/11|Tech News: 2021-11]] ==
<section begin="technews-2021-W11"/><div class="plainlinks mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/11|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Wikis that are part of the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements|desktop improvements]] project can now use a new [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements/Features/Search|search function]]. The desktop improvements and the new search will come to more wikis later. You can also [[mw:Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements#Deployment plan and timeline|test it early]].
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] Editors who put up banners or change site-wide [[:w:en:JavaScript|JavaScript]] code should use the [https://grafana.wikimedia.org/d/000000566/overview?viewPanel=16&orgId=1 client error graph] to see that their changes has not caused problems. You can [https://diff.wikimedia.org/2021/03/08/sailing-steady%e2%80%8a-%e2%80%8ahow-you-can-help-keep-wikimedia-sites-error-free read more]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T276296]
'''Problems'''
* Due to [[phab:T276968|database issues]] the [https://meta.wikimedia.beta.wmflabs.org Wikimedia Beta Cluster] was read-only for over a day.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/wmf.34|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-03-16|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-03-17|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-03-18|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* You can add a [[:w:en:Newline|newline]] or [[:w:en:Carriage return|carriage return]] character to a custom signature if you use a template. There is a proposal to not allow them in the future. This is because they can cause formatting problems. [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/New_requirements_for_user_signatures#Additional_proposal_(2021)][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T272322]
* You will be able to read but not edit [[phab:T276899|12 wikis]] for a short period of time on [https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?iso=20210323T06 {{#time:j xg|2021-03-23|en}} at 06:00 (UTC)]. This could take 30 minutes but will probably be much faster.
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] You can use [https://quarry.wmflabs.org/ Quarry] for [[:w:en:SQL|SQL]] queries to the [[wikitech:Wiki replicas|Wiki Replicas]]. Cross-database <code>JOINS</code> will no longer work from 23 March. There will be a new field to specify the database to connect to. If you think this affects you and you need help you can [[phab:T268498|post on Phabricator]] or on [[wikitech:Talk:News/Wiki Replicas 2020 Redesign|Wikitech]]. [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/PAWS PAWS] and other ways to do [[:w:en:SQL|SQL]] queries to the Wiki Replicas will be affected later. [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/News/Wiki_Replicas_2020_Redesign]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/11|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div></div> <section end="technews-2021-W11"/> 23:22, 15 March 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/12|Tech News: 2021-12]] ==
<section begin="technews-2021-W12"/><div class="plainlinks mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/12|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* There is a [[mw:Wikipedia for KaiOS|Wikipedia app]] for [[:w:en:KaiOS|KaiOS]] phones. They don't have a touch screen so readers navigate with the phone keys. There is now a [https://wikimedia.github.io/wikipedia-kaios/sim.html simulator] so you can see what it looks like.
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project/Replying|reply tool]] and [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project/New discussion|new discussion tool]] are now available as the "{{int:discussiontools-preference-label}}" [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-betafeatures|beta feature]] in almost all wikis except German Wikipedia.
'''Problems'''
* You will be able to read but not edit [[phab:T276899|twelve wikis]] for a short period of time on [https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?iso=20210323T06 {{#time:j xg|2021-03-23|{{PAGELANGUAGE}}}} at 06:00 (UTC)]. This can also affect password changes, logging in to new wikis, global renames and changing or confirming emails. This could take 30 minutes but will probably be much faster.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/wmf.36|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-03-23|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-03-24|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-03-25|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[:w:en:Syntax highlighting|Syntax highlighting]] colours will change to be easier to read. This will soon come to the [[phab:T276346|first wikis]]. [https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WMDE_Technical_Wishes/Improved_Color_Scheme_of_Syntax_Highlighting]
'''Future changes'''
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:FlaggedRevs|Flagged revisions]] will no longer have multiple tags like "tone" or "depth". It will also only have one tier. This was changed because very few wikis used these features and they make the tool difficult to maintain. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T185664][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T277883]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] Gadgets and user scripts can access variables about the current page in JavaScript. In 2015 this was moved from <code dir=ltr>wg*</code> to <code dir=ltr>mw.config</code>. <code dir=ltr>wg*</code> will soon no longer work. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T72470]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/12|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div></div> <section end="technews-2021-W12"/> 16:53, 22 March 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/13|Tech News: 2021-13]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/13|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Some very old [[:w:en:Web browser|web browsers]] [[:mw:Special:MyLanguage/Compatibility|don’t work]] well with the Wikimedia wikis. Some old code for browsers that used to be supported is being removed. This could cause issues in those browsers. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T277803]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] [[:m:IRC/Channels#Raw_feeds|IRC recent changes feeds]] have been moved to a new server. Make sure all tools automatically reconnect to <code>irc.wikimedia.org</code> and not to the name of any specific server. Users should also consider switching to the more modern [[:wikitech:Event Platform/EventStreams|EventStreams]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T224579]
'''Problems'''
* When you move a page that many editors have on their watchlist the history can be split. It might also not be possible to move it again for a while. This is because of a [[:w:en:Job queue|job queue]] problem. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T278350]
* Some translatable pages on Meta could not be edited. This was because of a bug in the translation tool. The new MediaWiki version was delayed because of problems like this. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T278429][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T274940]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/wmf.37|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-03-30|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-03-31|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-04-01|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/13|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
17:30, 29 March 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/14|Tech News: 2021-14]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/14|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Editors can collapse part of an article so you have to click on it to see it. When you click a link to a section inside collapsed content it will now expand to show the section. The browser will scroll down to the section. Previously such links didn't work unless you manually expanded the content first. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T276741]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Citoid|citoid]] [[:w:en:API|API]] will use for example <code>2010-12-XX</code> instead of <code>2010-12</code> for dates with a month but no days. This is because <code>2010-12</code> could be confused with <code>2010-2012</code> instead of <code>December 2010</code>. This is called level 1 instead of level 0 in the [https://www.loc.gov/standards/datetime/ Extended Date/Time Format]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T132308]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/wmf.38|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-04-06|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-04-07|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-04-08|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.36/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] [[:wikitech:PAWS|PAWS]] can now connect to the new [[:wikitech:Wiki Replicas|Wiki Replicas]]. Cross-database <code>JOINS</code> will no longer work from 28 April. There is [[:wikitech:News/Wiki Replicas 2020 Redesign#How should I connect to databases in PAWS?|a new way to connect]] to the databases. Until 28 April both ways to connect to the databases will work. If you think this affects you and you need help you can post [[phab:T268498|on Phabricator]] or on [[wikitech:Talk:News/Wiki Replicas 2020 Redesign|Wikitech]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/14|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
19:41, 5 April 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/16|Tech News: 2021-16]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/16|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Email to the Wikimedia wikis are handled by groups of Wikimedia editors. These volunteer response teams now use [https://github.com/znuny/Znuny Znuny] instead of [[m:Special:MyLanguage/OTRS|OTRS]]. The functions and interface remain the same. The volunteer administrators will give more details about the next steps soon. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T279303][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T275294]
* If you use [[Mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeMirror|syntax highlighting]], you can see line numbers in the 2010 and 2017 wikitext editors when editing templates. This is to make it easier to see line breaks or talk about specific lines. Line numbers will soon come to all namespaces. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T267911][https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WMDE_Technical_Wishes/Line_Numbering][https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:WMDE_Technical_Wishes/Line_Numbering]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] Because of a technical change there could be problems with gadgets and scripts that have an edit summary area that looks [https://phab.wmfusercontent.org/file/data/llvdqqnb5zpsfzylbqcg/PHID-FILE-25vs4qowibmtysl7cbml/Screen_Shot_2021-04-06_at_2.34.04_PM.png similar to this one]. If they look strange they should use <code>mw.loader.using('mediawiki.action.edit.styles')</code> to go back to how they looked before. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T278898]
* The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/wmf.1|latest version]] of MediaWiki came to the Wikimedia wikis last week. There was no Tech News issue last week.
'''Changes later this week'''
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week.
'''Future changes'''
* The user group <code>oversight</code> will be renamed <code>suppress</code>. This is for [[phab:T109327|technical reasons]]. This is the technical name. It doesn't affect what you call the editors with this user right on your wiki. This is planned to happen in two weeks. You can comment [[phab:T112147|in Phabricator]] if you have objections.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/16|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
16:48, 19 April 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/17|Tech News: 2021-17]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/17|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Templates have parameters that can have specific values. It is possible to suggest values for editors with [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:TemplateData|TemplateData]]. You can soon see them as a drop-down list in the visual editor. This is to help template users find the right values faster. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T273857][https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/WMDE_Technical_Wishes/Suggested_values_for_template_parameters][https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:WMDE_Technical_Wishes/Suggested_values_for_template_parameters]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/wmf.3|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-04-27|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-04-28|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-04-29|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/17|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
21:24, 26 April 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/18|Tech News: 2021-18]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/18|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[w:en:Wikipedia:Twinkle|Twinkle]] is a gadget on English Wikipedia. It can help with maintenance and patrolling. It can [[m:Grants:Project/Rapid/SD0001/Twinkle localisation/Report|now be used on other wikis]]. You can get Twinkle on your wiki using the [https://github.com/wikimedia-gadgets/twinkle-starter twinkle-starter] GitHub repository.
'''Problems'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Content translation|content translation tool]] did not work for many articles for a little while. This was because of a bug. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T281346]
* Some things will not work for about a minute on 5 May. This will happen [https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?iso=20210505T0600 around 06:00 UTC]. This will affect the content translation tool and notifications among other things. This is because of an upgrade to avoid crashes. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T281212]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Reference Previews|Reference Previews]] will become a default feature on a number of wikis on 5 May. This is later than planned because of some changes. You can use it without using [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Page Previews|Page Previews]] if you want to. The earlier plan was to have the preference to use both or none. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T271206][https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:WMDE_Technical_Wishes/ReferencePreviews]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/wmf.4|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-05-04|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-05-05|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-05-06|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] The [[:w:en:CSS|CSS]] classes <code dir=ltr>.error</code>, <code dir=ltr>.warning</code> and <code dir=ltr>.success</code> do not work for mobile readers if they have not been specifically defined on your wiki. From June they will not work for desktop readers. This can affect gadgets and templates. The classes can be defined in [[MediaWiki:Common.css]] or template styles instead. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T280766]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/18|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
15:43, 3 May 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/19|Tech News: 2021-19]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/19|Translations]] are available.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/wmf.5|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-05-11|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-05-12|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-05-13|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* You can see what participants plan to work on at the online [[mw:Wikimedia Hackathon 2021|Wikimedia hackathon]] 22–23 May.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/19|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
15:10, 10 May 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/20|Tech News: 2021-20]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/20|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* There is a new toolbar in [[mw:Talk pages project/Replying|the Reply tool]]. It works in the wikitext source mode. You can enable it in [[Special:Preferences#mw-htmlform-discussion|your preferences]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T276608] [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Talk_pages_project/Replying#13_May_2021] [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Talk_pages_project/New_discussion#13_May_2021]
* Wikimedia [https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo mailing lists] are being moved to [[:w:en:GNU Mailman|Mailman 3]]. This is a newer version. For the [[:w:en:Character encoding|character encoding]] to work it will change from <code>[[:w:en:UTF-8|UTF-8]]</code> to <code>utf8mb3</code>. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/IEYQ2HS3LZF2P3DAYMNZYQDGHWPVMTPY/][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T282621]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] An [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/14|earlier issue]] of Tech News said that the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Citoid|citoid]] [[:w:en:API|API]] would handle dates with a month but no days in a new way. This has been reverted for now. There needs to be more discussion of how it affects different wikis first. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T132308]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] <code>MediaWiki:Pageimages-blacklist</code> will be renamed <code>MediaWiki:Pageimages-denylist</code>. The list can be copied to the new name. It will happen on 19 May for some wikis and 20 May for some wikis. Most wikis don't use it. It lists images that should never be used as thumbnails for articles. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T282626]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/wmf.6|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-05-18|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-05-19|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-05-20|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/20|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
13:49, 17 May 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/21|Tech News: 2021-21]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/21|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The Wikimedia movement has been using [[:m:Special:MyLanguage/IRC|IRC]] on a network called [[:w:en:Freenode|Freenode]]. There have been changes around who is in control of the network. The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/IRC/Group_Contacts|Wikimedia IRC Group Contacts]] have [[m:Special:Diff/21476411|decided]] to move to the new [[:w:en:Libera Chat|Libera Chat]] network instead. This is not a formal decision for the movement to move all channels but most Wikimedia IRC channels will probably leave Freenode. There is a [[:m:IRC/Migrating_to_Libera_Chat|migration guide]] and ongoing Wikimedia [[m:Wikimedia Forum#Freenode (IRC)|discussions about this]].
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/wmf.7|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-05-25|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-05-26|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-05-27|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/21|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
17:07, 24 May 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/22|Tech News: 2021-22]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/22|Translations]] are available.
'''Problems'''
* There was an issue on the Vector skin with the text size of categories and notices under the page title. It was fixed last Monday. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T283206]
'''Changes later this week'''
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/22|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
17:05, 31 May 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/23|Tech News: 2021-23]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/23|Translations]] are available.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/wmf.9|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-06-08|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-06-09|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-06-10|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* The Wikimedia movement uses [[:mw:Special:MyLanguage/Phabricator|Phabricator]] for technical tasks. This is where we collect technical suggestions, bugs and what developers are working on. The company behind Phabricator will stop working on it. This will not change anything for the Wikimedia movement now. It could lead to changes in the future. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/YAXOD46INJLAODYYIJUVQWOZFIV54VUI/][https://admin.phacility.com/phame/post/view/11/phacility_is_winding_down_operations/][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T283980]
* Searching on Wikipedia will find more results in some languages. This is mainly true for when those who search do not use the correct [[:w:en:Diacritic|diacritics]] because they are not seen as necessary in that language. For example searching for <code>Bedusz</code> doesn't find <code>Będusz</code> on German Wikipedia. The character <code>ę</code> isn't used in German so many would write <code>e</code> instead. This will work better in the future in some languages. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T219550]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] The [[:w:en:Cross-site request forgery|CSRF token parameters]] in the [[:mw:Special:MyLanguage/API:Main page|action API]] were changed in 2014. The old parameters from before 2014 will stop working soon. This can affect bots, gadgets and user scripts that still use the old parameters. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/IMP43BNCI32C524O5YCUWMQYP4WVBQ2B/][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T280806]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/23|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
20:02, 7 June 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/24|Tech News: 2021-24]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/24|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Logged-in users on the mobile web can choose to use the [[:mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Advanced mobile contributions|advanced mobile mode]]. They now see categories in a similar way as users on desktop do. This means that some gadgets that have just been for desktop users could work for users of the mobile site too. If your wiki has such gadgets you could decide to turn them on for the mobile site too. Some gadgets probably need to be fixed to look good on mobile. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T284763]
* Language links on Wikidata now works for [[:oldwikisource:Main Page|multilingual Wikisource]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T275958]
'''Changes later this week'''
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week.
'''Future changes'''
* In the future we [[m:Special:MyLanguage/IP Editing: Privacy Enhancement and Abuse Mitigation|can't show the IP]] of unregistered editors to everyone. This is because privacy regulations and norms have changed. There is now a rough draft of how [[m:IP Editing: Privacy Enhancement and Abuse Mitigation#Updates|showing the IP to those who need to see it]] could work.
* German Wikipedia, English Wikivoyage and 29 smaller wikis will be read-only for a few minutes on 22 June. This is planned between 5:00 and 5:30 UTC. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T284530]
* All wikis will be read-only for a few minutes in the week of 28 June. More information will be published in Tech News later. It will also be posted on individual wikis in the coming weeks. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T281515][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T281209]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/24|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
20:26, 14 June 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/25|Tech News: 2021-25]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/25|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] The <code>otrs-member</code> group name is now <code>vrt-permissions</code>. This could affect abuse filters. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T280615]
'''Problems'''
* You will be able to read but not edit German Wikipedia, English Wikivoyage and 29 smaller wikis for a few minutes on 22 June. This is planned between [https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?iso=20210623T0500 5:00 and 5:30 UTC]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T284530]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/wmf.11|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-06-22|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-06-23|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-06-24|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/25|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
15:49, 21 June 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/26|Tech News: 2021-26]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/26|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Wikis with the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth|Growth features]] now can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Community configuration|configure Growth features directly on their wiki]]. This uses the new special page <code>Special:EditGrowthConfig</code>. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T285423]
* Wikisources have a new [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Tech/OCR Improvements|OCR tool]]. If you don't want to see the "extract text" button on Wikisource you can add <code>.ext-wikisource-ExtractTextWidget { display: none; }</code> to your [[Special:MyPage/common.css|common.css page]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T285311]
'''Problems'''
*You will be able to read but not edit the Wikimedia wikis for a few minutes on 29 June. This is planned at [https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?iso=20210629T1400 14:00 UTC]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T281515][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T281209]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/wmf.12|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-06-29|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-06-30|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-07-01|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* <code>Threshold for stub link formatting</code>, <code>thumbnail size</code> and <code>auto-number headings</code> can be set in preferences. They are expensive to maintain and few editors use them. The developers are planning to remove them. Removing them will make pages load faster. You can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/User:SKim (WMF)/Performance Dependent User Preferences|read more and give feedback]].
* A toolbar will be added to the [[mw:Talk pages project/Replying|Reply tool]]'s wikitext source mode. This will make it easier to link to pages and to ping other users. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T276609][https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Talk_pages_project/Replying#Status_updates]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/26|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
16:32, 28 June 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/27|Tech News: 2021-27]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/27|Translations]] are available.
'''Tech News'''
* The next issue of Tech News will be sent out on 19 July.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[:wikidata:Q4063270|AutoWikiBrowser]] is a tool to make repetitive tasks easier. It now uses [[:w:en:JSON|JSON]]. <code>Wikipedia:AutoWikiBrowser/CheckPage</code> has moved to <code>Wikipedia:AutoWikiBrowser/CheckPageJSON</code> and <code>Wikipedia:AutoWikiBrowser/Config</code>. <code>Wikipedia:AutoWikiBrowser/CheckPage/Version</code> has moved to <code>Wikipedia:AutoWikiBrowser/CheckPage/VersionJSON</code>. The tool will eventually be configured on the wiki so that you don't have to wait until the new version to add templates or regular expression fixes. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T241196]
'''Problems'''
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/InternetArchiveBot|InternetArchiveBot]] helps saving online sources on some wikis. It adds them to [[:w:en:Wayback Machine|Wayback Machine]] and links to them there. This is so they don't disappear if the page that was linked to is removed. It currently has a problem with linking to the wrong date when it moves pages from <code>archive.is</code> to <code>web.archive.org</code>. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T283432]
'''Changes later this week'''
* The tool to [[m:WMDE Technical Wishes/Finding and inserting templates|find, add and remove templates]] will be updated. This is to make it easier to find and use the right templates. It will come to the first wikis on 7 July. It will come to more wikis later this year. [https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WMDE_Technical_Wishes/Removing_a_template_from_a_page_using_the_VisualEditor][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T284553]
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week.
'''Future changes'''
* Some Wikimedia wikis use [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Flagged Revisions|Flagged Revisions]] or pending changes. It hides edits from new and unregistered accounts for readers until they have been patrolled. The auto review action in Flagged Revisions will no longer be logged. All old logs of auto-review will be removed. This is because it creates a lot of logs that are not very useful. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T285608]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/27|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
17:33, 5 July 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/29|Tech News: 2021-29]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/29|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The tool to [[m:WMDE Technical Wishes/Finding and inserting templates|find, add and remove templates]] was updated. This is to make it easier to find and use the right templates. It was supposed to come to the first wikis on 7 July. It was delayed to 12 July instead. It will come to more wikis later this year. [https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WMDE_Technical_Wishes/Removing_a_template_from_a_page_using_the_VisualEditor][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T284553]
* [[Special:UnconnectedPages|Special:UnconnectedPages]] lists pages that are not connected to Wikidata. This helps you find pages that can be connected to Wikidata items. Some pages should not be connected to Wikidata. You can use the magic word <code><nowiki>__EXPECTED_UNCONNECTED_PAGE__</nowiki></code> on pages that should not be listed on the special page. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T97577]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/wmf.15|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-07-20|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-07-21|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-07-22|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] How media is structured in the [[:w:en:Parsing|parser's]] HTML output will soon change. This can affect bots, gadgets, user scripts and extensions. You can [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/L2UQJRHTFK5YG3IOZEC7JSLH2ZQNZRVU/ read more]. You can test it on [[:testwiki:Main Page|Testwiki]] or [[:test2wiki:Main Page|Testwiki 2]].
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] The parameters for how you obtain [[mw:API:Tokens|tokens]] in the MediaWiki API were changed in 2014. The old way will no longer work from 1 September. Scripts, bots and tools that use the parameters from before the 2014 change need to be updated. You can [[phab:T280806#7215377|read more]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/29|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
15:31, 19 July 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/30|Tech News: 2021-30]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/30|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* A [[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/wmf.14|new version]] of MediaWiki came to the Wikimedia wikis the week before last week. This was not in Tech News because there was no newsletter that week.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/wmf.16|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-07-27|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-07-28|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-07-29|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* If you use the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Skin:MonoBook|Monobook skin]] you can choose to switch off [[:w:en:Responsive web design|responsive design]] on mobile. This will now work for more skins. If <code>{{int:monobook-responsive-label}}</code> is unticked you need to also untick the new [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-rendering|preference]] <code>{{int:prefs-skin-responsive}}</code>. Otherwise it will stop working. Interface admins can automate this process on your wiki. You can [[phab:T285991|read more]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/30|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
21:11, 26 July 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/31|Tech News: 2021-31]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/31|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] If your wiki uses markup like <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki><div class="mw-content-ltr"></nowiki></code></bdi> or <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki><div class="mw-content-rtl"></nowiki></code></bdi> without the required <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>dir</code></bdi> attribute, then these will no longer work in 2 weeks. There is a short-term fix that can be added to your local wiki's Common.css page, which is explained at [[phab:T287701|T287701]]. From now on, all usages should include the full attributes, for example: <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki><div class="mw-content-ltr" dir="ltr" lang="en"></nowiki></code></bdi> or <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki><div class="mw-content-rtl" dir="rtl" lang="he"></nowiki></code></bdi>. This also applies to some other HTML tags, such as <code>span</code> or <code>code</code>. You can find existing examples on your wiki that need to be updated, using the instructions at [[phab:T287701|T287701]].
* Reminder: Wikimedia has [[m:Special:MyLanguage/IRC/Migrating to Libera Chat|migrated to the Libera Chat IRC network]], from the old Freenode network. Local documentation should be updated.
'''Problems'''
* Last week, all wikis had slow access or no access for 30 minutes. There was a problem with generating dynamic lists of articles on the Russian Wikinews, due to the bulk import of 200,000+ new articles over 3 days, which led to database problems. The problematic feature has been disabled on that wiki and developers are discussing if it can be fixed properly. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T287380][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Incident_documentation/2021-07-26_ruwikinews_DynamicPageList]
'''Changes later this week'''
* When adding links to a page using [[mw:VisualEditor|VisualEditor]] or the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/2017 wikitext editor|2017 wikitext editor]], [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Disambiguator|disambiguation pages]] will now only appear at the bottom of search results. This is because users do not often want to link to disambiguation pages. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T285510]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/wmf.17|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-08-03|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-08-04|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-08-05|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* The [[mw:Wikimedia Apps/Team/Android|team of the Wikipedia app for Android]] is working on communication in the app. The developers are working on how to talk to other editors and get notifications. You can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Team/Android/Communication|read more]]. They are looking for users who want to [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Team/Android/Communication/UsertestingJuly2021|test the plans]]. Any editor who has an Android phone and is willing to download the app can do this.
* The [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-betafeatures|Beta Feature]] for {{int:discussiontools-preference-label}} will be updated in the coming weeks. You will be able to [[mw:Talk pages project/Notifications|subscribe to individual sections]] on a talk page at more wikis. You can test this now by adding <code>?dtenable=1</code> to the end of the talk page's URL ([https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Meta_talk:Sandbox?dtenable=1 example]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/31|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
20:47, 2 August 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/32|Tech News: 2021-32]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/32|Translations]] are available.
'''Problems'''
* You can read but not edit 17 wikis for a few minutes on 10 August. This is planned at [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1628571650 05:00 UTC]. This is because of work on the database. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T287449]
'''Changes later this week'''
* The [[wmania:Special:MyLanguage/2021:Hackathon|Wikimania Hackathon]] will take place remotely on 13 August, starting at 5:00 UTC, for 24 hours. You can participate in many ways. You can still propose projects and sessions.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/wmf.18|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-08-10|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-08-11|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-08-12|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] The old CSS <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki><div class="visualClear"></div></nowiki></code></bdi> will not be supported after 12 August. Instead, templates and pages should use <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki><div style="clear:both;"></div></nowiki></code></bdi>. Please help to replace any existing uses on your wiki. There are global-search links available at [[phab:T287962|T287962]].
'''Future changes'''
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/The Wikipedia Library|The Wikipedia Library]] is a place for Wikipedia editors to get access to sources. There is an [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:TheWikipediaLibrary|extension]] which has a new function to tell users when they can take part in it. It will use notifications. It will start pinging the first users in September. It will ping more users later. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T288070]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] [[w:en:Vue.js|Vue.js]] will be the [[w:en:JavaScript|JavaScript]] framework for MediaWiki in the future. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/SOZREBYR36PUNFZXMIUBVAIOQI4N7PDU/]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/32|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
16:21, 9 August 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/33|Tech News: 2021-33]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/33|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* You can add language links in the sidebar in the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements|new Vector skin]] again. You do this by connecting the page to a Wikidata item. The new Vector skin has moved the language links but the new language selector cannot add language links yet. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T287206]
'''Problems'''
* There was a problem on wikis which use the Translate extension. Translations were not updated or were replaced with the English text. The problems have been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T288700][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T288683][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T288719]
'''Changes later this week'''
* A [[mw:Help:Tags|revision tag]] will soon be added to edits that add links to [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Disambiguator|disambiguation pages]]. This is because these links are usually added by accident. The tag will allow editors to easily find the broken links and fix them. If your wiki does not like this feature, it can be [[mw:Help:Tags#Deleting a tag added by the software|hidden]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T287549]
*Would you like to help improve the information about tools? Would you like to attend or help organize a small virtual meetup for your community to discuss the list of tools? Please get in touch on the [[m:Toolhub/The Quality Signal Sessions|Toolhub Quality Signal Sessions]] talk page. We are also looking for feedback [[m:Talk:Toolhub/The Quality Signal Sessions#Discussion topic for "Quality Signal Sessions: The Tool Maintainers edition"|from tool maintainers]] on some specific questions.
* In the past, edits to any page in your user talk space ignored your [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Notifications#mute|mute list]], e.g. sub-pages. Starting this week, this is only true for edits to your talk page. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T288112]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/wmf.19|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-08-17|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-08-18|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-08-19|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/33|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
19:27, 16 August 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/34|Tech News: 2021-34]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/34|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Score|Score]] extension (<bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki><score></nowiki></code></bdi> notation) has been re-enabled on public wikis and upgraded to a newer version. Some musical score functionality may no longer work because the extension is only enabled in "safe mode". The security issue has been fixed and an [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Score/2021 security advisory|advisory published]].
'''Problems'''
* You will be able to read but not edit [[phab:T289130|some wikis]] for a few minutes on {{#time:j xg|2021-08-25|en}}. This will happen around [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1629871217 06:00 UTC]. This is for database maintenance. During this time, operations on the CentralAuth will also not be possible.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/wmf.20|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-08-24|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-08-25|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-08-26|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/34|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
21:58, 23 August 2021 (UTC)
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== Read-only reminder ==
<section begin="MassMessage"/>
A maintenance operation will be performed on [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1629871231 {{#time: l F d H:i e|2021-08-25T06:00|en}}]. It should only last for a few minutes.
This will affect your wiki as well as 11 other wikis. During this time, publishing edits will not be possible.
Also during this time, operations on the CentralAuth will not be possible (GlobalRenames, changing/confirming e-mail addresses, logging into new wikis, password changes).
For more details about the operation and on all impacted services, please check [[phab:T289130|on Phabricator]].
A banner will be displayed 30 minutes before the operation.
Please help your community to be aware of this maintenance operation. {{Int:Feedback-thanks-title}}<section end="MassMessage"/>
20:35, 24 August 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/35|Tech News: 2021-35]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/35|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Some musical score syntax no longer works and may needed to be updated, you can check [[:Category:{{MediaWiki:score-error-category}}]] on your wiki for a list of pages with errors.
'''Problems'''
* Musical scores were unable to render lyrics in some languages because of missing fonts. This has been fixed now. If your language would prefer a different font, please file a request in Phabricator. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T289554]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] The parameters for how you obtain [[mw:API:Tokens|tokens]] in the MediaWiki API were changed in 2014. The old way will no longer work from 1 September. Scripts, bots and tools that use the parameters from before the 2014 change need to be updated. You can [[phab:T280806#7215377|read more]] about this.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/wmf.21|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-08-31|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-09-01|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-09-02|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* You will be able to read but not edit [[phab:T289660|Commons]] for a few minutes on {{#time:j xg|2021-09-06|en}}. This will happen around [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1630818058 05:00 UTC]. This is for database maintenance.
* All wikis will be read-only for a few minutes in the week of 13 September. More information will be published in Tech News later. It will also be posted on individual wikis in the coming weeks. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T287539]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/35|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
16:01, 30 August 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/36|Tech News: 2021-36]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/36|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The wikis that have [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Feature_summary|Growth features]] deployed have been part of A/B testing since deployment, in which some newcomers did not receive the new features. Now, all of the newcomers on 21 of the smallest of those wikis will be receiving the features. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T289786]
'''Changes later this week'''
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week.
'''Future changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] In 2017, the provided jQuery library was upgraded from version 1 to 3, with a compatibility layer. The migration will soon finish, to make the site load faster for everyone. If you maintain a gadget or user script, check if you have any JQMIGRATE errors and fix them, or they will break. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T280944][https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/6Z2BVLOBBEC2QP4VV4KOOVQVE52P3HOP/]
* Last year, the Portuguese Wikipedia community embarked on an experiment to make log-in compulsory for editing. The [[m:IP Editing: Privacy Enhancement and Abuse Mitigation/Impact report for Login Required Experiment on Portuguese Wikipedia|impact report of this trial]] is ready. Moving forward, the Anti-Harassment Tools team is looking for projects that are willing to experiment with restricting IP editing on their wiki for a short-term experiment. [[m:IP Editing: Privacy Enhancement and Abuse Mitigation/Login Required Experiment|Learn more]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/36|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
15:20, 6 September 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/37|Tech News: 2021-37]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/37|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* 45 new Wikipedias now have access to the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Feature summary|Growth features]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T289680]
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Deployment table|A majority of Wikipedias]] now have access to the Growth features. The Growth team [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/FAQ|has published an FAQ page]] about the features. This translatable FAQ covers the description of the features, how to use them, how to change the configuration, and more.
'''Problems'''
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/Server switch|All wikis will be read-only]] for a few minutes on 14 September. This is planned at [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1631628002 14:00 UTC]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T287539]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/wmf.23|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-09-14|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-09-15|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-09-16|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.37/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* Starting this week, Wikipedia in Italian will receive weekly software updates on Wednesdays. It used to receive the updates on Thursdays. Due to this change, bugs will be noticed and fixed sooner. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T286664]
* You can add language links in the sidebar in [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements|the new Vector skin]] again. You do this by connecting the page to a Wikidata item. The new Vector skin has moved the language links but the new language selector cannot add language links yet. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T287206]
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:SyntaxHighlight|syntax highlight]] tool marks up code with different colours. It now can highlight 23 new code languages. Additionally, <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>golang</code></bdi> can now be used as an alias for the [[d:Q37227|Go programming language]], and a special <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>output</code></bdi> mode has been added to show a program's output. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T280117][https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/r/c/mediawiki/extensions/SyntaxHighlight_GeSHi/+/715277/]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/37|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
15:35, 13 September 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/38|Tech News: 2021-38]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/38|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Growth features are now deployed to almost all Wikipedias. [[phab:T290582|For the majority of small Wikipedias]], the features are only available for experienced users, to [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/FAQ#enable|test the features]] and [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/FAQ#config|configure them]]. Features will be available for newcomers starting on 20 September 2021.
* MediaWiki had a feature that would highlight local links to short articles in a different style. Each user could pick the size at which "stubs" would be highlighted. This feature was very bad for performance, and following a consultation, has been removed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T284917]
* A technical change was made to the MonoBook skin to allow for easier maintenance and upkeep. This has resulted in some minor changes to HTML that make MonoBook's HTML consistent with other skins. Efforts have been made to minimize the impact on editors, but please ping [[m:User:Jon (WMF)|Jon (WMF)]] on wiki or in [[phab:T290888|phabricator]] if any problems are reported.
'''Problems'''
* There was a problem with search last week. Many search requests did not work for 2 hours because of an accidental restart of the search servers. [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Incident_documentation/2021-09-13_cirrussearch_restart]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/wmf.1|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-09-21|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-09-22|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-09-23|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] The [[s:Special:ApiHelp/query+proofreadinfo|meta=proofreadpage API]] has changed. The <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>piprop</nowiki></code></bdi> parameter has been renamed to <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>prpiprop</nowiki></code></bdi>. API users should update their code to avoid unrecognized parameter warnings. Pywikibot users should upgrade to 6.6.0. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T290585]
'''Future changes'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools#Replying|Reply tool]] will be deployed to the remaining wikis in the coming weeks. It is currently part of "{{int:discussiontools-preference-label}}" in [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-betafeatures|Beta features]] at most wikis. You will be able to turn it off in [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-editing-discussion|Editing Preferences]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T262331]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki_1.37/Deprecation_of_legacy_API_token_parameters|previously announced]] change to how you obtain tokens from the API has been delayed to September 21 because of an incompatibility with Pywikibot. Bot operators using Pywikibot can follow [[phab:T291202|T291202]] for progress on a fix, and should plan to upgrade to 6.6.1 when it is released.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/38|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
18:32, 20 September 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/39|Tech News: 2021-39]] ==
<section begin="technews-2021-W39"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/39|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[w:en:IOS|iOS 15]] has a new function called [https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212614 Private Relay] (Apple website). This can hide the user's IP when they use [[w:en:Safari (software)|Safari]] browser. This is like using a [[w:en:Virtual private network|VPN]] in that we see another IP address instead. It is opt-in and only for those who pay extra for [[w:en:ICloud|iCloud]]. It will come to Safari users on [[:w:en:OSX|OSX]] later. There is a [[phab:T289795|technical discussion]] about what this means for the Wikimedia wikis.
'''Problems'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] Some gadgets and user-scripts add items to the [[m:Customization:Explaining_skins#Portlets|portlets]] (article tools) part of the skin. A recent change to the HTML may have made those links a different font-size. This can be fixed by adding the CSS class <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>.vector-menu-dropdown-noicon</code></bdi>. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T291438]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/wmf.2|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-09-28|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-09-29|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-09-30|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Onboarding_new_Wikipedians#New_experience|GettingStarted extension]] was built in 2013, and provides an onboarding process for new account holders in a few versions of Wikipedia. However, the recently developed [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Feature_summary|Growth features]] provide a better onboarding experience. Since the vast majority of Wikipedias now have access to the Growth features, GettingStarted will be deactivated starting on 4 October. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T235752]
* A small number of users will not be able to connect to the Wikimedia wikis after 30 September. This is because an old [[:w:en:root certificate|root certificate]] will no longer work. They will also have problems with many other websites. Users who have updated their software in the last five years are unlikely to have problems. Users in Europe, Africa and Asia are less likely to have immediate problems even if their software is too old. You can [[m:Special:MyLanguage/HTTPS/2021 Let's Encrypt root expiry|read more]].
* You can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Notifications|receive notifications]] when someone leaves a comment on user talk page or mentions you in a talk page comment. Clicking the notification link will now bring you to the comment and highlight it. Previously, doing so brought you to the top of the section that contained the comment. You can find [[phab:T282029|more information in T282029.]]
'''Future changes'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools#Replying|Reply tool]] will be deployed to the remaining wikis in the coming weeks. It is currently part of "{{int:discussiontools-preference-label}}" in [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-betafeatures|Beta features]] at most wikis. You will be able to turn it off in [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-editing-discussion|Editing Preferences]]. [[phab:T288485|See the list of wikis.]] [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T262331]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/39|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2021-W39"/>
22:23, 27 September 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/40|Tech News: 2021-40]] ==
<section begin="tech-newsletter-content"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/40|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* A more efficient way of sending changes from Wikidata to Wikimedia wikis that show them has been enabled for the following 10 wikis: mediawiki.org, the Italian, Catalan, Hebrew and Vietnamese Wikipedias, French Wikisource, and English Wikivoygage, Wikibooks, Wiktionary and Wikinews. If you notice anything strange about how changes from Wikidata appear in recent changes or your watchlist on those wikis you can [[phab:T48643|let the developers know]].
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/wmf.3|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-10-05|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-10-06|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-10-07|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] Some gadgets and bots that use the API to read the AbuseFilter log might break. The <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>hidden</code></bdi> property will no longer say an entry is <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>implicit</code></bdi> for unsuppressed log entries about suppressed edits. If your bot needs to know this, do a separate revision query. Additionally, the property will have the value <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>false</code></bdi> for visible entries; previously, it wasn't included in the response. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T291718]
* A more efficient way of sending changes from Wikidata to Wikimedia wikis that show them will be enabled for ''all production wikis''. If you notice anything strange about how changes from Wikidata appear in recent changes or your watchlist you can [[phab:T48643|let the developers know]].
'''Future changes'''
* You can soon get cross-wiki notifications in the [[mw:Wikimedia Apps/Team/iOS|iOS Wikipedia app]]. You can also get notifications as push notifications. More notification updates will follow in later versions. [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Apps/Team/iOS/Notifications#September_2021_update]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] The JavaScript variables <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>wgExtraSignatureNamespaces</code></bdi>, <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>wgLegalTitleChars</code></bdi>, and <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>wgIllegalFileChars</code></bdi> will soon be removed from <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Interface/JavaScript#mw.config|mw.config]]</code></bdi>. These are not part of the "stable" variables available for use in wiki JavaScript. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T292011]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] The JavaScript variables <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>wgCookiePrefix</code></bdi>, <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>wgCookieDomain</code></bdi>, <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>wgCookiePath</code></bdi>, and <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>wgCookieExpiration</code></bdi> will soon be removed from mw.config. Scripts should instead use <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>mw.cookie</code></bdi> from the "<bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr">[[mw:ResourceLoader/Core_modules#mediawiki.cookie|mediawiki.cookie]]</bdi>" module. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T291760]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/40|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="tech-newsletter-content"/>
16:32, 4 October 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/41|Tech News: 2021-41]] ==
<section begin="technews-2021-W41"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/41|Translations]] are available.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/wmf.4|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-10-12|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-10-13|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-10-14|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* The [[mw:Manual:Table_of_contents#Auto-numbering|"auto-number headings" preference]] is being removed. You can read [[phab:T284921]] for the reasons and discussion. This change was [[m:Tech/News/2021/26|previously]] announced. [[mw:Snippets/Auto-number_headings|A JavaScript snippet]] is available which can be used to create a Gadget on wikis that still want to support auto-numbering.
'''Meetings'''
* You can join a meeting about the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements|Desktop Improvements]]. A demonstration version of the [[mw:Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements/Features/Sticky Header|newest feature]] will be shown. The event will take place on Tuesday, 12 October at 16:00 UTC. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements/Updates/Talk to Web/12-10-2021|See how to join]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/41|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2021-W41"/>
15:30, 11 October 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/42|Tech News: 2021-42]] ==
<section begin="technews-2021-W42"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/42|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
*[[m:Toolhub|Toolhub]] is a catalogue to make it easier to find software tools that can be used for working on the Wikimedia projects. You can [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/LF4SSR4QRCKV6NPRFGUAQWUFQISVIPTS/ read more].
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/wmf.5|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-10-19|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-10-20|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-10-21|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* The developers of the [[mw:Wikimedia Apps/Team/Android|Wikipedia Android app]] are working on [[mw:Wikimedia Apps/Team/Android/Communication|communication in the app]]. You can now answer questions in [[mw:Wikimedia Apps/Team/Android/Communication/UsertestingOctober2021|survey]] to help the development.
* 3–5% of editors may be blocked in the next few months. This is because of a new service in Safari, which is similar to a [[w:en:Proxy server|proxy]] or a [[w:en:VPN|VPN]]. It is called iCloud Private Relay. There is a [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Apple iCloud Private Relay|discussion about this]] on Meta. The goal is to learn what iCloud Private Relay could mean for the communities.
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Enterprise|Wikimedia Enterprise]] is a new [[w:en:API|API]] for those who use a lot of information from the Wikimedia projects on other sites. It is a way to get big commercial users to pay for the data. There will soon be a copy of the Wikimedia Enterprise dataset. You can [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-ambassadors@lists.wikimedia.org/message/B2AX6PWH5MBKB4L63NFZY3ADBQG7MSBA/ read more]. You can also ask the team questions [https://wikimedia.zoom.us/j/88994018553 on Zoom] on [https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?hour=15&min=00&sec=0&day=22&month=10&year=2021 22 October 15:00 UTC].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/42|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2021-W42"/>
20:53, 18 October 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/43|Tech News: 2021-43]] ==
<section begin="technews-2021-W43"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/43|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Coolest_Tool_Award|Coolest Tool Award 2021]] is looking for nominations. You can recommend tools until 27 October.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/wmf.6|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-10-26|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-10-27|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-10-28|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
*[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Diff|Diff pages]] will have an improved copy and pasting experience. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey 2021/Copy paste diffs|The changes]] will allow the text in the diff for before and after to be treated as separate columns and will remove any unwanted syntax. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T192526]
* The version of the [[w:en:Liberation fonts|Liberation fonts]] used in SVG files will be upgraded. Only new thumbnails will be affected. Liberation Sans Narrow will not change. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T253600]
'''Meetings'''
* You can join a meeting about the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey|Community Wishlist Survey]]. News about the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey 2021/Warn when linking to disambiguation pages|disambiguation]] and the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey 2021/Real Time Preview for Wikitext|real-time preview]] wishes will be shown. The event will take place on Wednesday, 27 October at 14:30 UTC. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey/Updates/Talk to Us|See how to join]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/43|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2021-W43"/>
20:08, 25 October 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/44|Tech News: 2021-44]] ==
<section begin="technews-2021-W44"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/44|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* There is a limit on the amount of emails a user can send each day. This limit is now global instead of per-wiki. This change is to prevent abuse. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T293866]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/wmf.7|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-11-02|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-11-03|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-11-04|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/44|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2021-W44"/>
20:28, 1 November 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/45|Tech News: 2021-45]] ==
<section begin="technews-2021-W45"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/45|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Mobile IP editors are now able to receive warning notices indicating they have a talk page message on the mobile website (similar to the orange banners available on desktop). These notices will be displayed on every page outside of the main namespace and every time the user attempts to edit. The notice on desktop now has a slightly different colour. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T284642][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T278105]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[phab:T294321|Wikidata will be read-only]] for a few minutes on 11 November. This will happen around [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1636610400 06:00 UTC]. This is for database maintenance. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T294321]
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week.
'''Future changes'''
* In the future, unregistered editors will be given an identity that is not their [[:w:en:IP address|IP address]]. This is for legal reasons. A new user right will let editors who need to know the IPs of unregistered accounts to fight vandalism, spam, and harassment, see the IP. You can read the [[m:IP Editing: Privacy Enhancement and Abuse Mitigation#IP Masking Implementation Approaches (FAQ)|suggestions for how that identity could work]] and [[m:Talk:IP Editing: Privacy Enhancement and Abuse Mitigation|discuss on the talk page]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/45|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2021-W45"/>
20:36, 8 November 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/46|Tech News: 2021-46]] ==
<section begin="technews-2021-W46"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/46|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Most [[c:Special:MyLanguage/Commons:Maximum_file_size#MAXTHUMB|large file uploads]] errors that had messages like "<bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>stashfailed</code></bdi>" or "<bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>DBQueryError</code></bdi>" have now been fixed. An [[wikitech:Incident documentation/2021-11-04 large file upload timeouts|incident report]] is available.
'''Problems'''
* Sometimes, edits made on iOS using the visual editor save groups of numbers as telephone number links, because of a feature in the operating system. This problem is under investigation. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T116525]
* There was a problem with search last week. Many search requests did not work for 2 hours because of a configuration error. [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Incident_documentation/2021-11-10_cirrussearch_commonsfile_outage]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/wmf.9|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-11-16|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-11-17|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-11-18|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/46|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2021-W46"/>
22:06, 15 November 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/47|Tech News: 2021-47]] ==
<section begin="technews-2021-W47"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/47|Translations]] are available.
'''Changes later this week'''
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week.
*The template dialog in VisualEditor and in the [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-betafeatures|new wikitext mode]] Beta feature will be [[m:WMDE Technical Wishes/VisualEditor template dialog improvements|heavily improved]] on [[phab:T286992|a few wikis]]. Your [[m:Talk:WMDE Technical Wishes/VisualEditor template dialog improvements|feedback is welcome]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/47|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2021-W47"/>
20:02, 22 November 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/48|Tech News: 2021-48]] ==
<section begin="technews-2021-W48"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/48|Translations]] are available.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/wmf.11|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-11-30|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-12-01|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-12-02|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/48|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2021-W48"/>
21:15, 29 November 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/49|Tech News: 2021-49]] ==
<section begin="technews-2021-W49"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/49|Translations]] are available.
'''Problems'''
* MediaWiki 1.38-wmf.11 was scheduled to be deployed on some wikis last week. The deployment was delayed because of unexpected problems.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/wmf.12|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-12-07|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-12-08|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-12-09|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* At all Wikipedias, a Mentor Dashboard is now available at <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>Special:MentorDashboard</nowiki></code></bdi>. It allows registered mentors, who take care of newcomers' first steps, to monitor their assigned newcomers' activity. It is part of the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Feature summary|Growth features]]. You can learn more about [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Communities/How_to_configure_the_mentors%27_list|activating the mentor list]] on your wiki and about [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Mentor dashboard|the mentor dashboard project]].
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] The predecessor to the current [[mw:API|MediaWiki Action API]] (which was created in 2008), <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>action=ajax</nowiki></code></bdi>, will be removed this week. Any scripts or bots using it will need to switch to the corresponding API module. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T42786]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] An old ResourceLoader module, <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>jquery.jStorage</nowiki></code></bdi>, which was deprecated in 2016, will be removed this week. Any scripts or bots using it will need to switch to <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>mediawiki.storage</nowiki></code></bdi> instead. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T143034]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/49|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2021-W49"/>
21:59, 6 December 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/50|Tech News: 2021-50]] ==
<section begin="technews-2021-W50"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/50|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* There are now default [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Namespace#Other_namespace_aliases|short aliases]] for the "Project:" namespace on most wikis. E.g. On Wikibooks wikis, <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>[[WB:]]</nowiki></code></bdi> will go to the local language default for the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>[[Project:]]</nowiki></code></bdi> namespace. This change is intended to help the smaller communities have easy access to this feature. Additional local aliases can still be requested via [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Requesting wiki configuration changes|the usual process]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T293839]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/wmf.13|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2021-12-14|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2021-12-15|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2021-12-16|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/50|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2021-W50"/>
22:27, 13 December 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/51|Tech News: 2021-51]] ==
<section begin="technews-2021-W51"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/51|Translations]] are available.
'''Tech News'''
* Because of the [[w:en:Christmas and holiday season|holidays]] the next issue of Tech News will be sent out on 10 January 2022.
'''Recent changes'''
* Queries made by the DynamicPageList extension (<bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki><DynamicPageList></nowiki></code></bdi>) are now only allowed to run for 10 seconds and error if they take longer. This is in response to multiple outages where long-running queries caused an outage on all wikis. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T287380#7575719]
'''Changes later this week'''
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week or next week.
'''Future changes'''
* The developers of the Wikipedia iOS app are looking for testers who edit in multiple languages. You can [[mw:Wikimedia Apps/Team/iOS/202112 testing|read more and let them know if you are interested]].
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] The Wikimedia [[wikitech:Portal:Cloud VPS|Cloud VPS]] hosts technical projects for the Wikimedia movement. Developers need to [[wikitech:News/Cloud VPS 2021 Purge|claim projects]] they use. This is because old and unused projects are removed once a year. Unclaimed projects can be shut down from February. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/2B7KYL5VLQNHGQQHMYLW7KTUKXKAYY3T/]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/51|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2021-W51"/>
22:05, 20 December 2021 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/02|Tech News: 2022-02]] ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W02"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/02|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] A <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>oauth_consumer</code></bdi> variable has been added to the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/AbuseFilter|AbuseFilter]] to enable identifying changes made by specific tools. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T298281]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] Gadgets are [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/ResourceLoader/Migration_guide_(users)#Package_Gadgets|now able to directly include JSON pages]]. This means some gadgets can now be configured by administrators without needing the interface administrator permission, such as with the Geonotice gadget. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T198758]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] Gadgets [[mw:Extension:Gadgets#Options|can now specify page actions]] on which they are available. For example, <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>|actions=edit,history</code></bdi> will load a gadget only while editing and on history pages. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T63007]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] Gadgets can now be loaded on demand with the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>withgadget</code></bdi> URL parameter. This can be used to replace [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Snippets/Load JS and CSS by URL|an earlier snippet]] that typically looks like <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>withJS</code></bdi> or <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>withCSS</code></bdi>. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T29766]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] At wikis where [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Communities/How to configure the mentors' list|the Mentorship system is configured]], you can now use the Action API to get a list of a [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Mentor_dashboard|mentor's]] mentees. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T291966]
* The heading on the main page can now be configured using <span class="mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr">[[MediaWiki:Mainpage-title-loggedin]]</span> for logged-in users and <span class="mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr">[[MediaWiki:Mainpage-title]]</span> for logged-out users. Any CSS that was previously used to hide the heading should be removed. [https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Small_wiki_toolkits/Starter_kit/Main_page_customization#hide-heading] [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T298715]
* Four special pages (and their API counterparts) now have a maximum database query execution time of 30 seconds. These special pages are: RecentChanges, Watchlist, Contributions, and Log. This change will help with site performance and stability. You can read [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/IPJNO75HYAQWIGTHI5LJHTDVLVOC4LJP/ more details about this change] including some possible solutions if this affects your workflows. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T297708]
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements/Features/Sticky Header|sticky header]] has been deployed for 50% of logged-in users on [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements/Frequently asked questions#pilot-wikis|more than 10 wikis]]. This is part of the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements|Desktop Improvements]]. See [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements/Participate|how to take part in the project]].
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/wmf.17|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-01-11|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-01-12|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-01-13|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Events'''
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey 2022|Community Wishlist Survey 2022]] begins. All contributors to the Wikimedia projects can propose for tools and platform improvements. The proposal phase takes place from {{#time:j xg|2022-01-10|en}} 18:00 UTC to {{#time:j xg|2022-01-23|en}} 18:00 UTC. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community_Wishlist_Survey/FAQ|Learn more]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/02|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W02"/>
01:23, 11 January 2022 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/03|Tech News: 2022-03]] ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W03"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/03|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* When using [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:WikiEditor|WikiEditor]] (also known as the 2010 wikitext editor), people will now see a warning if they link to disambiguation pages. If you click "{{int:Disambiguator-review-link}}" in the warning, it will ask you to correct the link to a more specific term. You can [[m:Community Wishlist Survey 2021/Warn when linking to disambiguation pages#Jan 12, 2021: Turning on the changes for all Wikis|read more information]] about this completed 2021 Community Wishlist item.
* You can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools#subscribe|automatically subscribe to all of the talk page discussions]] that you start or comment in using [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project/Feature summary|DiscussionTools]]. You will receive [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Notifications|notifications]] when another editor replies. This is available at most wikis. Go to your [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-editing-discussion|Preferences]] and turn on "{{int:discussiontools-preference-autotopicsub}}". [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T263819]
* When asked to create a new page or talk page section, input fields can be [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Creating_pages_with_preloaded_text|"preloaded" with some text]]. This feature is now limited to wikitext pages. This is so users can't be tricked into making malicious edits. There is a discussion about [[phab:T297725|if this feature should be re-enabled]] for some content types.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/wmf.18|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-01-18|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-01-19|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-01-20|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Events'''
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey 2022|Community Wishlist Survey 2022]] continues. All contributors to the Wikimedia projects can propose for tools and platform improvements. The proposal phase takes place from {{#time:j xg|2022-01-10|en}} 18:00 UTC to {{#time:j xg|2022-01-23|en}} 18:00 UTC. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community_Wishlist_Survey/FAQ|Learn more]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/03|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W03"/>
19:55, 17 January 2022 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/04|Tech News: 2022-04]] ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W04"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/04|Translations]] are available.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/wmf.19|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-01-25|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-01-26|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-01-27|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* The following languages can now be used with [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:SyntaxHighlight|syntax highlighting]]: BDD, Elpi, LilyPond, Maxima, Rita, Savi, Sed, Sophia, Spice, .SRCINFO.
* You can now access your watchlist from outside of the user menu in the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements|new Vector skin]]. The watchlist link appears next to the notification icons if you are at the top of the page. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T289619]
'''Events'''
* You can see the results of the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Coolest Tool Award|Coolest Tool Award 2021]] and learn more about 14 tools which were selected this year.
* You can [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community_Wishlist_Survey/Help_us|translate, promote]], or comment on [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey 2022/Proposals|the proposals]] in the Community Wishlist Survey. Voting will begin on {{#time:j xg|2022-01-28|en}}.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/04|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W04"/>
21:38, 24 January 2022 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/05|Tech News: 2022-05]] ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W05"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/05|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] If a gadget should support the new <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>?withgadget</code></bdi> URL parameter that was [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/02|announced]] 3 weeks ago, then it must now also specify <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>supportsUrlLoad</code></bdi> in the gadget definition ([[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Gadgets#supportsUrlLoad|documentation]]). [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T29766]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/wmf.20|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-02-01|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-02-02|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-02-03|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* A change that was [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2021/16|announced]] last year was delayed. It is now ready to move ahead:
** The user group <code>oversight</code> will be renamed <code>suppress</code>. This is for [[phab:T109327|technical reasons]]. This is the technical name. It doesn't affect what you call the editors with this user right on your wiki. This is planned to happen in three weeks. You can comment [[phab:T112147|in Phabricator]] if you have objections. As usual, these labels can be translated on translatewiki ([[phab:T112147|direct links are available]]) or by administrators on your wiki.
'''Events'''
* You can vote on proposals in the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey 2022|Community Wishlist Survey]] between 28 January and 11 February. The survey decides what the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Tech|Community Tech team]] will work on.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/05|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W05"/>
17:42, 31 January 2022 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/06|Tech News: 2022-06]] ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W06"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/06|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* English Wikipedia recently set up a gadget for dark mode. You can enable it there, or request help from an [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Interface administrators|interface administrator]] to set it up on your wiki ([[w:en:Wikipedia:Dark mode (gadget)|instructions and screenshot]]).
* Category counts are sometimes wrong. They will now be completely recounted at the beginning of every month. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T299823]
'''Problems'''
* A code-change last week to fix a bug with [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Live preview|Live Preview]] may have caused problems with some local gadgets and user-scripts. Any code with skin-specific behaviour for <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>vector</code></bdi> should be updated to also check for <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>vector-2022</code></bdi>. [[phab:T300987|A code-snippet, global search, and example are available]].
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/wmf.21|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-02-08|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-02-09|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-02-10|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/06|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W06"/>
21:15, 7 February 2022 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/07|Tech News: 2022-07]] ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W07"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/07|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Purge|Purging]] a category page with fewer than 5,000 members will now recount it completely. This will allow editors to fix incorrect counts when it is wrong. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T85696]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/wmf.22|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-02-15|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-02-16|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-02-17|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] In the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:AbuseFilter|AbuseFilter]] extension, the <code dir=ltr>rmspecials()</code> function has been updated so that it does not remove the "space" character. Wikis are advised to wrap all the uses of <code dir=ltr>rmspecials()</code> with <code dir=ltr>rmwhitespace()</code> wherever necessary to keep filters' behavior unchanged. You can use the search function on [[Special:AbuseFilter]] to locate its usage. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T263024]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/07|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W07"/>
19:18, 14 February 2022 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/08|Tech News: 2022-08]] ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W08"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/08|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[Special:Nuke|Special:Nuke]] will now provide the standard deletion reasons (editable at <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[MediaWiki:Deletereason-dropdown]]</bdi>) to use when mass-deleting pages. This was [[m:Community Wishlist Survey 2022/Admins and patrollers/Mass-delete to offer drop-down of standard reasons, or templated reasons.|a request in the 2022 Community Wishlist Survey]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T25020]
* At Wikipedias, all new accounts now get the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Feature_summary|Growth features]] by default when creating an account. Communities are encouraged to [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Tools/Account_creation|update their help resources]]. Previously, only 80% of new accounts would get the Growth features. A few Wikipedias remain unaffected by this change. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T301820]
* You can now prevent specific images that are used in a page from appearing in other locations, such as within PagePreviews or Search results. This is done with the markup <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>class=notpageimage</nowiki></code></bdi>. For example, <code><nowiki>[[File:Example.png|class=notpageimage]]</nowiki></code>. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T301588]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] There has been a change to the HTML of Special:Contributions, Special:MergeHistory, and History pages, to support the grouping of changes by date in [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Skin:Minerva_Neue|the mobile skin]]. While unlikely, this may affect gadgets and user scripts. A [[phab:T298638|list of all the HTML changes]] is on Phabricator.
'''Events'''
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey 2022/Results|Community Wishlist Survey results]] have been published. The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey/Updates/2022 results#leaderboard|ranking of prioritized proposals]] is also available.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/wmf.23|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-02-22|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-02-23|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-02-24|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* The software to play videos and audio files on pages will change soon on all wikis. The old player will be removed. Some audio players will become wider after this change. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:TimedMediaHandler/VideoJS_Player|The new player]] has been a beta feature for over four years. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T100106][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T248418]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Toolforge's underlying operating system is being updated. If you maintain any tools there, there are two options for migrating your tools into the new system. There are [[wikitech:News/Toolforge Stretch deprecation|details, deadlines, and instructions]] on Wikitech. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/cloud-announce@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/EPJFISC52T7OOEFH5YYMZNL57O4VGSPR/]
* Administrators will soon have [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey 2021/(Un)delete associated talk page|the option to delete/undelete]] the associated "talk" page when they are deleting a given page. An API endpoint with this option will also be available. This was [[m:Community Wishlist Survey 2021/Admins and patrollers/(Un)delete associated talk page|a request from the 2021 Wishlist Survey]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/08|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W08"/>
19:12, 21 February 2022 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/09|Tech News: 2022-09]] ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W09"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/09|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* When searching for edits by [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Tags|change tags]], e.g. in page history or user contributions, there is now a dropdown list of possible tags. This was [[m:Community Wishlist Survey 2022/Miscellaneous/Improve plain-text change tag selector|a request in the 2022 Community Wishlist Survey]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T27909]
* Mentors using the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Mentor_dashboard|Growth Mentor dashboard]] will now see newcomers assigned to them who have made at least one edit, up to 200 edits. Previously, all newcomers assigned to the mentor were visible on the dashboard, even ones without any edit or ones who made hundred of edits. Mentors can still change these values using the filters on their dashboard. Also, the last choice of filters will now be saved. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T301268][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T294460]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The user group <code>oversight</code> was renamed <code>suppress</code>. This is for [[phab:T109327|technical reasons]]. You may need to update any local references to the old name, e.g. gadgets, links to Special:Listusers, or uses of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Magic_words|NUMBERINGROUP]].
'''Problems'''
* The recent change to the HTML of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Tracking changes|tracking changes]] pages caused some problems for screenreaders. This is being fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T298638]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/wmf.24|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-03-01|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-03-02|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-03-03|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* Working with templates will become easier. [[m:WMDE_Technical_Wishes/Templates|Several improvements]] are planned for March 9 on most wikis and on March 16 on English Wikipedia. The improvements include: Bracket matching, syntax highlighting colors, finding and inserting templates, and related visual editor features.
* If you are a template developer or an interface administrator, and you are intentionally overriding or using the default CSS styles of user feedback boxes (the classes: <code dir=ltr>successbox, messagebox, errorbox, warningbox</code>), please note that these classes and associated CSS will soon be removed from MediaWiki core. This is to prevent problems when the same class-names are also used on a wiki. Please let us know by commenting at [[phab:T300314]] if you think you might be affected.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/09|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W09"/>
22:59, 28 February 2022 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/10|Tech News: 2022-10]] ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W10"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/10|Translations]] are available.
'''Problems'''
* There was a problem with some interface labels last week. It will be fixed this week. This change was part of ongoing work to simplify the support for skins which do not have active maintainers. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T301203]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/wmf.25|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-03-08|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-03-09|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-03-10|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/10|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W10"/>
21:16, 7 March 2022 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/11|Tech News: 2022-11]] ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W11"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/11|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* In the Wikipedia Android app [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Apps/Team/Android/Communication#Updates|it is now possible]] to change the toolbar at the bottom so the tools you use more often are easier to click on. The app now also has a focused reading mode. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T296753][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T254771]
'''Problems'''
* There was a problem with the collection of some page-view data from June 2021 to January 2022 on all wikis. This means the statistics are incomplete. To help calculate which projects and regions were most affected, relevant datasets are being retained for 30 extra days. You can [[m:Talk:Data_retention_guidelines#Added_exception_for_page_views_investigation|read more on Meta-wiki]].
* There was a problem with the databases on March 10. All wikis were unreachable for logged-in users for 12 minutes. Logged-out users could read pages but could not edit or access uncached content then. [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Incident_documentation/2022-03-10_MediaWiki_availability]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/wmf.26|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-03-15|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-03-16|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-03-17|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.38/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* When [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:System_message#Finding_messages_and_documentation|using <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>uselang=qqx</code></bdi> to find localisation messages]], it will now show all possible message keys for navigation tabs such as "{{int:vector-view-history}}". [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T300069]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Access to [[{{#special:RevisionDelete}}]] has been expanded to include users who have <code dir=ltr>deletelogentry</code> and <code dir=ltr>deletedhistory</code> rights through their group memberships. Before, only those with the <code dir=ltr>deleterevision</code> right could access this special page. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T301928]
* On the [[{{#special:Undelete}}]] pages for diffs and revisions, there will be a link back to the main Undelete page with the list of revisions. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T284114]
'''Future changes'''
* The Wikimedia Foundation has announced the IP Masking implementation strategy and next steps. The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/IP Editing: Privacy Enhancement and Abuse Mitigation#feb25|announcement can be read here]].
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Android FAQ|Wikipedia Android app]] developers are working on [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Team/Android/Communication|new functions]] for user talk pages and article talk pages. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T297617]
'''Events'''
* The [[mw:Wikimedia Hackathon 2022|Wikimedia Hackathon 2022]] will take place as a hybrid event on 20-22 May 2022. The Hackathon will be held online and there are grants available to support local in-person meetups around the world. Grants can be requested until 20 March.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/11|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W11"/>
22:07, 14 March 2022 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/12|Tech News: 2022-12]] ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W12"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/12|Translations]] are available.
'''New code release schedule for this week'''
* There will be four MediaWiki releases this week, instead of just one. This is an experiment which should lead to fewer problems and to faster feature updates. The releases will be on all wikis, at different times, on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. You can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Release Engineering Team/Trainsperiment week|read more about this project]].
'''Recent changes'''
* You can now set how many search results to show by default in [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-searchoptions|your Preferences]]. This was the 12th most popular wish in the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey 2022/Results|Community Wishlist Survey 2022]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T215716]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The Jupyter notebooks tool [[wikitech:PAWS|PAWS]] has been updated to a new interface. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T295043]
'''Future changes'''
* Interactive maps via [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Kartographer|Kartographer]] will soon work on wikis using the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:FlaggedRevs|FlaggedRevisions]] extension. [https://wikimedia.sslsurvey.de/Kartographer-Workflows-EN/ Please tell us] which improvements you want to see in Kartographer. You can take this survey in simple English. [https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WMDE_Technical_Wishes/Geoinformation]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/12|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W12"/>
16:01, 21 March 2022 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/13|Tech News: 2022-13]] ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W13"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/13|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* There is a simple new Wikimedia Commons upload tool available for macOS users, [[c:Commons:Sunflower|Sunflower]].
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/wmf.5|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-03-29|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-03-30|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-03-31|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* Some wikis will be in read-only for a few minutes because of regular database maintenance. It will be performed on {{#time:j xg|2022-03-29|en}} at 7:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s3.dblist targeted wikis]) and on {{#time:j xg|2022-03-31|en}} at 7:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s5.dblist targeted wikis]). [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T301850][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T303798]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/13|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W13"/>
19:54, 28 March 2022 (UTC)
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== [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/14|Tech News: 2022-14]] ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W14"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/14|Translations]] are available.
'''Problems'''
* For a few days last week, edits that were suggested to newcomers were not tagged in the [[{{#special:recentchanges}}]] feed. This bug has been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T304747]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/wmf.6|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-04-05|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-04-06|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-04-07|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* Some wikis will be in read-only for a few minutes because of a switch of their main database. It will be performed on {{#time:j xg|2022-04-07|en}} at 7:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s4.dblist targeted wikis]).
'''Future changes'''
* Starting next week, Tech News' title will be translatable. When the newsletter is distributed, its title may not be <code dir=ltr>Tech News: 2022-14</code> anymore. It may affect some filters that have been set up by some communities. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T302920]
* Over the next few months, the "[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Tools/Add a link|Add a link]]" Growth feature [[phab:T304110|will become available to more Wikipedias]]. Each week, a few wikis will get the feature. You can test this tool at [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth#deploymentstable|a few wikis where "Link recommendation" is already available]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/14|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W14"/>
21:01, 4 April 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-15 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W15"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/15|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* There is a new public status page at <span class="mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr">[https://www.wikimediastatus.net/ www.wikimediastatus.net]</span>. This site shows five automated high-level metrics where you can see the overall health and performance of our wikis' technical environment. It also contains manually-written updates for widespread incidents, which are written as quickly as the engineers are able to do so while also fixing the actual problem. The site is separated from our production infrastructure and hosted by an external service, so that it can be accessed even if the wikis are briefly unavailable. You can [https://diff.wikimedia.org/2022/03/31/announcing-www-wikimediastatus-net/ read more about this project].
* On Wiktionary wikis, the software to play videos and audio files on pages has now changed. The old player has been removed. Some audio players will become wider after this change. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:TimedMediaHandler/VideoJS_Player|The new player]] has been a beta feature for over four years. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T100106][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T248418]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/wmf.7|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-04-12|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-04-13|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-04-14|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/15|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W15"/>
19:44, 11 April 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-16 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W16"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/16|Translations]] are available.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/wmf.8|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-04-19|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-04-20|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-04-21|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] Some wikis will be in read-only for a few minutes because of a switch of their main database. It will be performed on {{#time:j xg|2022-04-19|en}} at 07:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s7.dblist targeted wikis]) and on {{#time:j xg|2022-04-21|en}} at 7:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s8.dblist targeted wikis]).
* Administrators will now have [[m:Community Wishlist Survey 2021/(Un)delete associated talk page|the option to delete/undelete the associated "Talk" page]] when they are deleting a given page. An API endpoint with this option is also available. This concludes the [[m:Community Wishlist Survey 2021/Admins and patrollers/(Un)delete associated talk page|11th wish of the 2021 Community Wishlist Survey]].
* On [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop_Improvements#test-wikis|selected wikis]], 50% of logged-in users will see the new [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements/Features/Table of contents|table of contents]]. When scrolling up and down the page, the table of contents will stay in the same place on the screen. This is part of the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements|Desktop Improvements]] project. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T304169]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Message boxes produced by MediaWiki code will no longer have these CSS classes: <code dir=ltr>successbox</code>, <code dir=ltr>errorbox</code>, <code dir=ltr>warningbox</code>. The styles for those classes and <code dir=ltr>messagebox</code> will be removed from MediaWiki core. This only affects wikis that use these classes in wikitext, or change their appearance within site-wide CSS. Please review any local usage and definitions for these classes you may have. This was previously announced in the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/09|28 February issue of Tech News]].
'''Future changes'''
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Kartographer|Kartographer]] will become compatible with [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:FlaggedRevs|FlaggedRevisions page stabilization]]. Kartographer maps will also work on pages with [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Pending changes|pending changes]]. [https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WMDE_Technical_Wishes/Geoinformation#Project_descriptions] The Kartographer documentation has been thoroughly updated. [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Kartographer/Getting_started] [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Help:VisualEditor/Maps] [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Kartographer]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/16|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W16"/>
23:11, 18 April 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-17 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W17"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/17|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* On [https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/dblists/group1.dblist many wikis] (group 1), the software to play videos and audio files on pages has now changed. The old player has been removed. Some audio players will become wider after this change. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:TimedMediaHandler/VideoJS_Player|The new player]] has been a beta feature for over four years. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T100106][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T248418]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/wmf.9|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-04-26|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-04-27|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-04-28|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] Some wikis will be in read-only for a few minutes because of a switch of their main database. It will be performed on {{#time:j xg|2022-04-26|en}} at 07:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s2.dblist targeted wikis]).
* Some very old browsers and operating systems are no longer supported. Some things on the wikis might look weird or not work in very old browsers like Internet Explorer 9 or 10, Android 4, or Firefox 38 or older. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T306486]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/17|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W17"/>
22:56, 25 April 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-18 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W18"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/18|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* On [https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/dblists/group2.dblist all remaining wikis] (group 2), the software to play videos and audio files on pages has now changed. The old player has been removed. Some audio players will become wider after this change. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:TimedMediaHandler/VideoJS_Player|The new player]] has been a beta feature for over four years. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T100106][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T248418]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/wmf.10|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-05-03|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-05-04|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-05-05|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* The developers are working on talk pages in the [[mw:Wikimedia Apps/Team/iOS|Wikipedia app for iOS]]. You can [https://wikimedia.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9GBcHczQGLbQWTY give feedback]. You can take the survey in English, German, Hebrew or Chinese.
* [[m:WMDE_Technical_Wishes/VisualEditor_template_dialog_improvements#Status_and_next_steps|Most wikis]] will receive an [[m:WMDE_Technical_Wishes/VisualEditor_template_dialog_improvements|improved template dialog]] in VisualEditor and New Wikitext mode. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T296759] [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T306967]
* If you use syntax highlighting while editing wikitext, you can soon activate a [[m:WMDE_Technical_Wishes/Improved_Color_Scheme_of_Syntax_Highlighting#Color-blind_mode|colorblind-friendly color scheme]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T306867]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Several CSS IDs related to MediaWiki interface messages will be removed. Technical editors should please [[phab:T304363|review the list of IDs and links to their existing uses]]. These include <code dir=ltr>#mw-anon-edit-warning</code>, <code dir=ltr>#mw-undelete-revision</code> and 3 others.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/18|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W18"/>
19:33, 2 May 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-19 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W19"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/19|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* You can now see categories in the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Team/Android|Wikipedia app for Android]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T73966]
'''Problems'''
* Last week, there was a problem with Wikidata's search autocomplete. This has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T307586]
* Last week, all wikis had slow access or no access for 20 minutes, for logged-in users and non-cached pages. This was caused by a problem with a database change. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T307647]
'''Changes later this week'''
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T305217#7894966]
* [[m:WMDE Technical Wishes/Geoinformation#Current issues|Incompatibility issues]] with [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Kartographer|Kartographer]] and the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:FlaggedRevs|FlaggedRevs extension]] will be fixed: Deployment is planned for May 10 on all wikis. Kartographer will then be enabled on the [[phab:T307348|five wikis which have not yet enabled the extension]] on May 24.
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements|Vector (2022)]] skin will be set as the default on several more wikis, including Arabic and Catalan Wikipedias. Logged-in users will be able to switch back to the old Vector (2010). See the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements/Updates/2022-04 for the largest wikis|latest update]] about Vector (2022).
'''Future meetings'''
* The next [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements/Updates/Talk to Web|open meeting with the Web team]] about Vector (2022) will take place on 17 May. The following meetings are currently planned for: 7 June, 21 June, 5 July, 19 July.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/19|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W19"/>
15:22, 9 May 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-20 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W20"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/20|Translations]] are available.
'''Changes later this week'''
* Some wikis can soon use the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Tools/Add a link|add a link]] feature. This will start on Wednesday. The wikis are {{int:project-localized-name-cawiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-hewiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-hiwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-kowiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-nowiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-ptwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-simplewiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-svwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-ukwiki/en}}. This is part of the [[phab:T304110|progressive deployment of this tool to more Wikipedias]]. The communities can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Community configuration|configure how this feature works locally]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T304542]
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Hackathon 2022|Wikimedia Hackathon 2022]] will take place online on May 20–22. It will be in English. There are also local [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Hackathon 2022/Meetups|hackathon meetups]] in Germany, Ghana, Greece, India, Nigeria and the United States. Technically interested Wikimedians can work on software projects and learn new skills. You can also host a session or post a project you want to work on.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/wmf.12|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-05-17|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-05-18|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-05-19|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* You can soon edit translatable pages in the visual editor. Translatable pages exist on for examples Meta and Commons. [https://diff.wikimedia.org/2022/05/12/mediawiki-1-38-brings-support-for-editing-translatable-pages-with-the-visual-editor/]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/20|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W20"/>
18:58, 16 May 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-21 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W21"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/21|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Administrators using the mobile web interface can now access Special:Block directly from user pages. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T307341]
* The <span class="mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr">[https://www.wiktionary.org/ www.wiktionary.org]</span> portal page now uses an automated update system. Other [[m:Project_portals|project portals]] will be updated over the next few months. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T304629]
'''Problems'''
* The Growth team maintains a mentorship program for newcomers. Previously, newcomers weren't able to opt out from the program. Starting May 19, 2022, newcomers are able to fully opt out from Growth mentorship, in case they do not wish to have any mentor at all. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T287915]
* Some editors cannot access the content translation tool if they load it by clicking from the contributions menu. This problem is being worked on. It should still work properly if accessed directly via Special:ContentTranslation. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T308802]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/wmf.13|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-05-24|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-05-25|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-05-26|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Gadget and user scripts developers are invited to give feedback on a [[mw:User:Jdlrobson/Extension:Gadget/Policy|proposed technical policy]] aiming to improve support from MediaWiki developers. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T308686]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/21|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W21"/>
00:21, 24 May 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-22 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W22"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/22|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] In the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:AbuseFilter|AbuseFilter]] extension, an <code dir=ltr>ip_in_ranges()</code> function has been introduced to check if an IP is in any of the ranges. Wikis are advised to combine multiple <code dir=ltr>ip_in_range()</code> expressions joined by <code>|</code> into a single expression for better performance. You can use the search function on [[Special:AbuseFilter|Special:AbuseFilter]] to locate its usage. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T305017]
* The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/IP Editing: Privacy Enhancement and Abuse Mitigation/IP Info feature|IP Info feature]] which helps abuse fighters access information about IPs, [[m:Special:MyLanguage/IP Editing: Privacy Enhancement and Abuse Mitigation/IP Info feature#May 24, 2022|has been deployed]] to all wikis as a beta feature. This comes after weeks of beta testing on test.wikipedia.org.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/wmf.14|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-05-31|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-06-01|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-06-02|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] Some wikis will be in read-only for a few minutes because of a switch of their main database. It will be performed on {{#time:j xg|2022-05-31|en}} at 07:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s5.dblist targeted wikis]).
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools#New topic tool|New Topic Tool]] will be deployed for all editors at most wikis soon. You will be able to opt out from within the tool and in [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-editing-discussion|Preferences]]. [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Talk_pages_project/New_discussion][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T287804]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|Advanced item]] The [[:mw:Special:ApiHelp/query+usercontribs|list=usercontribs API]] will support fetching contributions from an [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Range blocks#Non-technical explanation|IP range]] soon. API users can set the <code>uciprange</code> parameter to get contributions from any IP range within [[:mw:Manual:$wgRangeContributionsCIDRLimit|the limit]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T177150]
* A new parser function will be introduced: <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>{{=}}</nowiki></code></bdi>. It will replace existing templates named "=". It will insert an [[w:en:Equals sign|equal sign]]. This can be used to escape the equal sign in the parameter values of templates. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T91154]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/22|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W22"/>
20:28, 30 May 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-23 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W23"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/23|Translations]] are available.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/wmf.15|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-06-07|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-06-08|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-06-09|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] A new <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>str_replace_regexp()</code></bdi> function can be used in [[Special:AbuseFilter|abuse filters]] to replace parts of text using a [[w:en:Regular expression|regular expression]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T285468]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/23|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W23"/>
02:46, 7 June 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-24 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W24"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/24|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* All wikis can now use [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Kartographer|Kartographer]] maps. Kartographer maps now also work on pages with [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Pending changes|pending changes]]. [https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WMDE_Technical_Wishes/Geoinformation#Project_descriptions][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T307348]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/wmf.16|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-06-14|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-06-15|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-06-16|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] Some wikis will be in read-only for a few minutes because of a switch of their main database. It will be performed on {{#time:j xg|2022-06-14|en}} at 06:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s6.dblist targeted wikis]). [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T300471]
* Starting on Wednesday, a new set of Wikipedias will get "[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Tools/Add a link|Add a link]]" ({{int:project-localized-name-abwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-acewiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-adywiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-afwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-akwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-alswiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-amwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-anwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-angwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-arcwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-arzwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-astwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-atjwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-avwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-aywiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-azwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-azbwiki/en}}). This is part of the [[phab:T304110|progressive deployment of this tool to more Wikipedias]]. The communities can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Community configuration|configure how this feature works locally]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T304548]
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools#New topic tool|New Topic Tool]] will be deployed for all editors at Commons, Wikidata, and some other wikis soon. You will be able to opt out from within the tool and in [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-editing-discussion|Preferences]]. [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Talk_pages_project/New_discussion][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T287804]
'''Future meetings'''
* The next [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements/Updates/Talk to Web|open meeting with the Web team]] about Vector (2022) will take place today (13 June). The following meetings will take place on: 28 June, 12 July, 26 July.
'''Future changes'''
* By the end of July, the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements|Vector 2022]] skin should be ready to become the default across all wikis. Discussions on how to adjust it to the communities' needs will begin in the next weeks. It will always be possible to revert to the previous version on an individual basis. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements/Updates/2022-04 for the largest wikis|Learn more]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/24|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W24"/>
16:58, 13 June 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-25 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W25"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/25|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Team/Android|Wikipedia App for Android]] now has an option for editing the whole page at once, located in the overflow menu (three-dots menu [[File:Ic more vert 36px.svg|15px|link=|alt=]]). [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T103622]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Some recent database changes may affect queries using the [[m:Research:Quarry|Quarry tool]]. Queries for <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>site_stats</code></bdi> at English Wikipedia, Commons, and Wikidata will need to be updated. [[phab:T306589|Read more]].
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] A new <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>user_global_editcount</code></bdi> variable can be used in [[Special:AbuseFilter|abuse filters]] to avoid affecting globally active users. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T130439]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/wmf.17|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-06-21|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-06-22|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-06-23|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* Users of non-responsive skins (e.g. MonoBook or Vector) on mobile devices may notice a slight change in the default zoom level. This is intended to optimize zooming and ensure all interface elements are present on the page (for example the table of contents on Vector 2022). In the unlikely event this causes any problems with how you use the site, we'd love to understand better, please ping <span class="mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr">[[m:User:Jon (WMF)|Jon (WMF)]]</span> to any on-wiki conversations. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T306910]
'''Future changes'''
* The Beta Feature for [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools|DiscussionTools]] will be updated throughout July. Discussions will look different. You can see [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project/Usability/Prototype|some of the proposed changes]].
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Parsoid's HTML output will soon stop annotating file links with different <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>typeof</code></bdi> attribute values, and instead use <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>mw:File</code></bdi> for all types. Tool authors should adjust any code that expects: <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>mw:Image</code></bdi>, <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>mw:Audio</code></bdi>, or <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>mw:Video</code></bdi>. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T273505]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/25|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W25"/>
20:18, 20 June 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-26 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W26"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/26|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Enterprise|Wikimedia Enterprise]] API service now has self-service accounts with free on-demand requests and monthly snapshots ([https://enterprise.wikimedia.com/docs/ API documentation]). Community access [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Enterprise/FAQ#community-access|via database dumps & Wikimedia Cloud Services]] continues.
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] [[d:Special:MyLanguage/Wikidata:Wiktionary#lua|All Wikimedia wikis can now use Wikidata Lexemes in Lua]] after creating local modules and templates. Discussions are welcome [[d:Wikidata_talk:Lexicographical_data#You_can_now_reuse_Wikidata_Lexemes_on_all_wikis|on the project talk page]].
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/wmf.18|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-06-28|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-06-29|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-06-30|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] Some wikis will be in read-only for a few minutes because of a switch of their main database. It will be performed on {{#time:j xg|2022-06-28|en}} at 06:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s7.dblist targeted wikis]). [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T311033]
* Some global and cross-wiki services will be in read-only for a few minutes because of a switch of their main database. It will be performed on {{#time:j xg|2022-06-30|en}} at 06:00 UTC. This will impact ContentTranslation, Echo, StructuredDiscussions, Growth experiments and a few more services. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T300472]
* Users will be able to sort columns within sortable tables in the mobile skin. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T233340]
'''Future meetings'''
* The next [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements/Updates/Talk to Web|open meeting with the Web team]] about Vector (2022) will take place tomorrow (28 June). The following meetings will take place on 12 July and 26 July.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/26|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W26"/>
20:02, 27 June 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-27 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W27"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/27|Translations]] are available.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/wmf.19|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-07-05|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-07-06|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-07-07|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] Some wikis will be in read-only for a few minutes because of a switch of their main database. It will be performed on {{#time:j xg|2022-07-05|en}} at 07:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s6.dblist targeted wikis]) and on {{#time:j xg|2022-07-07|en}} at 7:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s4.dblist targeted wikis]).
* The Beta Feature for [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools|DiscussionTools]] will be updated throughout July. Discussions will look different. You can see [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project/Usability/Prototype|some of the proposed changes]].
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=| Advanced item]] This change only affects pages in the main namespace in Wikisource. The Javascript config variable <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>proofreadpage_source_href</code></bdi> will be removed from <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Interface/JavaScript#mw.config|mw.config]]</code></bdi> and be replaced with the variable <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>prpSourceIndexPage</code></bdi>. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T309490]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/27|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W27"/>
19:32, 4 July 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-28 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W28"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/28|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* In the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements|Vector 2022 skin]], the page title is now displayed above the tabs such as Discussion, Read, Edit, View history, or More. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements/Updates#Page title/tabs switch|Learn more]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T303549]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] It is now possible to easily view most of the configuration settings that apply to just one wiki, and to compare settings between two wikis if those settings are different. For example: [https://noc.wikimedia.org/wiki.php?wiki=jawiktionary Japanese Wiktionary settings], or [https://noc.wikimedia.org/wiki.php?wiki=eswiki&compare=eowiki settings that are different between the Spanish and Esperanto Wikipedias]. Local communities may want to [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Requesting_wiki_configuration_changes|discuss and propose changes]] to their local settings. Details about each of the named settings can be found by [[mw:Special:Search|searching MediaWiki.org]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T308932]
*The Anti-Harassment Tools team [[m:Special:MyLanguage/IP Editing: Privacy Enhancement and Abuse Mitigation/IP Info feature#May|recently deployed]] the IP Info Feature as a [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-betafeatures|Beta Feature at all wikis]]. This feature allows abuse fighters to access information about IP addresses. Please check our update on [[m:Special:MyLanguage/IP Editing: Privacy Enhancement and Abuse Mitigation/IP Info feature#April|how to find and use the tool]]. Please share your feedback using a link you will be given within the tool itself.
'''Changes later this week'''
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] Some wikis will be in read-only for a few minutes because of a switch of their main database. It will be performed on {{#time:j xg|2022-07-12|en}} at 07:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s3.dblist targeted wikis]).
'''Future changes'''
* The Beta Feature for [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools|DiscussionTools]] will be updated throughout July. Discussions will look different. You can see [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project/Usability/Prototype|some of the proposed changes]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/28|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W28"/>
19:24, 11 July 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-29 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W29"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/29|Translations]] are available.
'''Problems'''
* The feature on mobile web for [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:NearbyPages|Nearby Pages]] was missing last week. It will be fixed this week. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T312864]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/wmf.21|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-07-19|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-07-20|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-07-21|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* The [[mw:Technical_decision_making/Forum|Technical Decision Forum]] is seeking [[mw:Technical_decision_making/Community_representation|community representatives]]. You can apply on wiki or by emailing <span class="mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr">TDFSupport@wikimedia.org</span> before 12 August.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/29|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W29"/>
22:59, 18 July 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-30 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W30"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/30|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The <span class="mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr">[https://www.wikibooks.org/ www.wikibooks.org]</span> and <span class="mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr">[https://www.wikiquote.org/ www.wikiquote.org]</span> portal pages now use an automated update system. Other [[m:Project_portals|project portals]] will be updated over the next few months. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T273179]
'''Problems'''
* Last week, some wikis were in read-only mode for a few minutes because of an emergency switch of their main database ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s7.dblist targeted wikis]). [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T313383]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/wmf.22|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-07-26|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-07-27|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-07-28|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* The external link icon will change slightly in the skins Vector legacy and Vector 2022. The new icon uses simpler shapes to be more recognizable on low-fidelity screens. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T261391]
* Administrators will now see buttons on user pages for "{{int:changeblockip}}" and "{{int:unblockip}}" instead of just "{{int:blockip}}" if the user is already blocked. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T308570]
'''Future meetings'''
* The next [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements/Updates/Talk to Web|open meeting with the Web team]] about Vector (2022) will take place tomorrow (26 July).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/30|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W30"/>
19:27, 25 July 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-31 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W31"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/31|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Improved [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Displaying_a_formula#Phantom|LaTeX capabilities for math rendering]] are now available in the wikis thanks to supporting <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>Phantom</code></bdi> tags. This completes part of [[m:Community_Wishlist_Survey_2022/Editing/Missing_LaTeX_capabilities_for_math_rendering|the #59 wish]] of the 2022 Community Wishlist Survey.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/wmf.23|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-08-02|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-08-03|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-08-04|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:WikiEditor/Realtime_Preview|Realtime Preview]] will be available as a Beta Feature on wikis in [https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists%2Fgroup0.dblist Group 0]. This feature was built in order to fulfill [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community_Wishlist_Survey_2021/Real_Time_Preview_for_Wikitext|one of the Community Wishlist Survey proposals]].
'''Future changes'''
* The Beta Feature for [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools|DiscussionTools]] will be updated throughout August. Discussions will look different. You can see [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project/Usability/Prototype|some of the proposed changes]].
'''Future meetings'''
* This week, three meetings about [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements|Vector (2022)]] with live interpretation will take place. On Tuesday, interpretation in Russian will be provided. On Thursday, meetings for Arabic and Spanish speakers will take place. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements/Updates/Talk to Web|See how to join]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/31|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W31"/>
21:21, 1 August 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-32 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W32"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/32|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[:m:Special:MyLanguage/Meta:GUS2Wiki/Script|GUS2Wiki]] copies the information from [[{{#special:GadgetUsage}}]] to an on-wiki page so you can review its history. If your project isn't already listed on the [[d:Q113143828|Wikidata entry for Project:GUS2Wiki]] you can either run GUS2Wiki yourself or [[:m:Special:MyLanguage/Meta:GUS2Wiki/Script#Opting|make a request to receive updates]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T121049]
'''Changes later this week'''
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] Some wikis will be in read-only for a few minutes because of a switch of their main database. It will be performed on {{#time:j xg|2022-08-09|en}} at 07:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s5.dblist targeted wikis]) and on {{#time:j xg|2022-08-11|en}} at 7:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s2.dblist targeted wikis]).
'''Future meetings'''
* The [[wmania:Special:MyLanguage/Hackathon|Wikimania Hackathon]] will take place online from August 12–14. Don't miss [[wmania:Special:MyLanguage/Hackathon/Schedule|the pre-hacking showcase]] to learn about projects and find collaborators. Anyone can [[phab:/project/board/6030/|propose a project]] or [[wmania:Special:MyLanguage/Hackathon/Schedule|host a session]]. [[wmania:Special:MyLanguage/Hackathon/Newcomers|Newcomers are welcome]]!
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/32|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W32"/>
19:50, 8 August 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-33 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W33"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/33|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The Persian (Farsi) Wikipedia community decided to block IP editing from October 2021 to April 2022. The Wikimedia Foundation's Product Analytics team tracked the impact of this change. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/IP Editing: Privacy Enhancement and Abuse Mitigation/IP Editing Restriction Study/Farsi Wikipedia|An impact report]] is now available.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/wmf.25|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-08-16|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-08-17|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-08-18|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] Some wikis will be in read-only for a few minutes because of a switch of their main database. It will be performed on {{#time:j xg|2022-08-16|en}} at 07:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s1.dblist targeted wikis]) and on {{#time:j xg|2022-08-18|en}} at 7:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s8.dblist targeted wikis]).
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:WikiEditor/Realtime_Preview|Realtime Preview]] will be available as a Beta Feature on wikis in [https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists%2Fgroup1.dblist Group 1]. This feature was built in order to fulfill [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community_Wishlist_Survey_2021/Real_Time_Preview_for_Wikitext|one of the Community Wishlist Survey proposals]].
'''Future changes'''
* The Beta Feature for [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools|DiscussionTools]] will be updated throughout August. Discussions will look different. You can see [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project/Usability/Prototype|some of the proposed changes]]. [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Talk_pages_project/Usability#4_August_2022][https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Talk_pages_project/Usability#Phase_1:_Topic_containers][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T312672]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/33|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W33"/>
21:08, 15 August 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-34 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W34"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/34|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Two problems with [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Kartographer|Kartographer]] maps have been fixed. Maps are no longer shown as empty when a geoline was created via VisualEditor. Geolines consisting of points with QIDs (e.g., subway lines) are no longer shown with pushpins. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T292613][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T308560]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/wmf.26|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-08-23|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-08-24|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-08-25|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] Some wikis will be in read-only for a few minutes because of a switch of their main database. It will be performed on {{#time:j xg|2022-08-25|en}} at 7:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s4.dblist targeted wikis]).
* The colours of links and visited links will change. This is to make the difference between links and other text more clear. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T213778]
'''Future changes'''
* The new [{{int:discussiontools-topicsubscription-button-subscribe}}] button [[mw:Talk pages project/Notifications#12 August 2022|helps newcomers get answers]]. The Editing team is enabling this tool everywhere. You can turn it off in [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-editing-discussion|your preferences]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T284489]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/34|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W34"/>
00:12, 23 August 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-35 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W35"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/35|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:WikiEditor/Realtime_Preview|Realtime Preview]] is available as a Beta Feature on wikis in [https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists%2Fgroup2.dblist Group 2]. This feature was built in order to fulfill [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community_Wishlist_Survey_2021/Real_Time_Preview_for_Wikitext|one of the Community Wishlist Survey proposals]]. Please note that when this Beta feature is enabled, it may cause conflicts with some wiki-specific Gadgets.
'''Problems'''
* In recent months, there have been inaccurate numbers shown for various [[{{#special:statistics}}]] at Commons, Wikidata, and English Wikipedia. This has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T315693]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/wmf.27|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-08-30|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-08-31|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-09-01|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] Some wikis will be in read-only for a few minutes because of a switch of their main database. It will be performed on {{#time:j xg|2022-08-30|en}} at 07:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s6.dblist targeted wikis]) and on {{#time:j xg|2022-09-01|en}} at 7:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s7.dblist targeted wikis]).
'''Future changes'''
* The Wikimedia Foundation wants to improve how Wikimedia communities report harmful incidents by building the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Private Incident Reporting System|Private Incident Reporting System (PIRS)]] to make it easy and safe for users to make reports. You can leave comments on the talk page, by answering the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Private Incident Reporting System#Phase 1|questions provided]]. If you have ever faced a harmful situation that you wanted to report/reported, join a PIRS interview to share your experience. To sign up [[m:Special:EmailUser/MAna_(WMF)|please email]] <span class="mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr">[[m:User:MAna (WMF)|Madalina Ana]]</span>.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/35|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W35"/>
23:05, 29 August 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-36 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W36"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/36|Translations]] are available.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/wmf.28|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-09-06|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-09-07|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-09-08|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] Some wikis will be in read-only for a few minutes because of a switch of their main database. It will be performed on {{#time:j xg|2022-09-06|en}} at 07:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s1.dblist targeted wikis]) and on {{#time:j xg|2022-09-08|en}} at 7:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s3.dblist targeted wikis]).
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] On Special pages that only have one tab, the tab-bar's row will be hidden in the Vector-2022 skin to save space. The row will still show if Gadgets use it. Gadgets that currently append directly to the CSS id of <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>#p-namespaces</code></bdi> should be updated to use the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>[[mw:ResourceLoader/Core_modules#addPortletLink|mw.util.addPortletLink]]</code></bdi> function instead. Gadgets that style this id should consider also targeting <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>#p-associated-pages</code></bdi>, the new id for this row. [[phab:T316908|Examples are available]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T316908][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T313409]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/36|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W36"/>
23:22, 5 September 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-37 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W37"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/37|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The search servers have been upgraded to a new major version. If you notice any issues with searching, please report them on [[phab:project/view/1849/|Phabricator]]. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/XPCTYYTN67FVFKN6XOHULJVGUO44J662]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/wmf.1|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-09-13|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-09-14|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-09-15|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:SyntaxHighlight|Syntax highlighting]] is now tracked as an [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:$wgExpensiveParserFunctionLimit|expensive parser function]]. Only 500 expensive function calls can be used on a single page. Pages that exceed the limit are added to a [[:Category:{{MediaWiki:expensive-parserfunction-category}}|tracking category]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T316858]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/37|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W37"/>
01:50, 13 September 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-38 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W38"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/38|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Two database fields in the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>templatelinks</nowiki></code></bdi> table are now being dropped: <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>tl_namespace</nowiki></code></bdi> and <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>tl_title</nowiki></code></bdi>. Any queries that rely on these fields need to be changed to use the new normalization field called <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>tl_target_id</nowiki></code></bdi>. See <span class="mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr">[[phab:T299417|T299417]]</span> for more information. This is part of [[w:Database normalization|normalization]] of links tables. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/U2U6TXIBABU3KDCVUOITIGI5OJ4COBSW/][https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/User:ASarabadani_(WMF)/Database_for_devs_toolkit/Concepts/Normalization]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/wmf.2|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-09-20|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-09-21|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-09-22|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* In [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Kartographer|Kartographer]] maps, you can use icons on markers for common points of interest. On Tuesday, the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Kartographer/Icons|previous icon set]] will be updated to [https://de.wikipedia.beta.wmflabs.org/wiki/Hilfe:Extension:Kartographer/Icons version maki 7.2]. That means, around 100 new icons will be available. Additionally, all existing icons were updated for clarity and to make them work better in international contexts. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T302861][https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WMDE_Technical_Wishes/Geoinformation#Update_maki_icons]
'''Future changes'''
* In a [[m:Content_Partnerships_Hub/Software/Volunteer_developers_discussion_at_Wikimania_2022|group discussion at Wikimania]], more than 30 people talked about how to make content partnership software in the Wikimedia movement more sustainable. What kind of support is acceptable for volunteer developers? Read the summary and [[m:Talk:Content Partnerships Hub/Software/Volunteer developers discussion at Wikimania 2022|leave your feedback]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/38|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W38"/>
<span class="mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</span> 22:16, 19 September 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-39 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W39"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/39|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Parsoid clients should be updated to allow for space-separated multi-values in the <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr"><code>rel</code></bdi> attribute of links. Further details are in <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[phab:T315209|T315209]]</bdi>.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/wmf.3|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-09-27|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-09-28|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-09-29|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/VisualEditor/Diffs|Visual diffs]] will become available to all users, except at the Wiktionaries and Wikipedias. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T314588]
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools#Mobile|Talk pages on the mobile site]] will change at the Arabic, Bangla, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Hebrew, Korean, and Vietnamese Wikipedias. They should be easier to use and provide more information. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T318302] [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Talk_pages_project/Mobile]
* In the [[mw:Lua/Scripting|{{ns:828}}]] namespace, pages ending with <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr"><code>.json</code></bdi> will be treated as JSON, just like they already are in the {{ns:2}} and {{ns:8}} namespaces. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T144475]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/39|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W39"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:30, 27 September 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-40 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W40"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/40|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Kartographer|Kartographer]] maps can now show geopoints from Wikidata, via QID or SPARQL query. Previously, this was only possible for geoshapes and geolines. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T307695] [https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WMDE_Technical_Wishes/Geoinformation/Geopoints_via_QID]
* The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Coolest_Tool_Award|Coolest Tool Award 2022]] is looking for nominations. You can recommend tools until 12 October.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/wmf.4|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-10-04|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-10-05|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-10-06|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools#Mobile|Talk pages on the mobile site]] will change at the Arabic, Bangla, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Hebrew, Korean, and Vietnamese Wikipedias. They should be easier to use and provide more information. (Last week's release was delayed) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T318302] [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Talk_pages_project/Mobile]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>scribunto-console</code></bdi> API module will require a [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/API:Tokens|CSRF token]]. This module is documented as internal and use of it is not supported. [[phab:T212071|[5]]]
* The Vector 2022 skin will become the default across the smallest Wikimedia projects. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop_Improvements#Deployment_plan_and_timeline|Learn more]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/40|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W40"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:23, 4 October 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-41 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W41"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/41|Translations]] are available.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/wmf.5|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-10-11|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-10-12|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-10-13|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* On some wikis, [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Kartographer|Kartographer]] maps in full size view will be able to display nearby articles. After a feedback period, more wikis will follow. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T316782][https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WMDE_Technical_Wishes/Geoinformation/Nearby_articles]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/41|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W41"/>
14:08, 10 October 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-42 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W42"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/42|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The recently implemented feature of [[phab:T306883|article thumbnails in Special:Search]] will be limited to Wikipedia projects only. Further details are in [[phab:T320510|T320510]]. [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Structured_Data_Across_Wikimedia/Search_Improvements]
* A bug that caused problems in loading article thumbnails in Special:Search has been fixed. Further details are in [[phab:T320406|T320406]].
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/wmf.6|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-10-18|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-10-19|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-10-20|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.39/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Lua module authors can use <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Scribunto/Lua_reference_manual#mw.loadJsonData|mw.loadJsonData()]]</code></bdi> to load data from JSON pages. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T217500]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Lua module authors can enable <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Scribunto/Lua_reference_manual#Strict_library|require( "strict" )]]</code></bdi> to add errors for some possible code problems. This replaces "[[wikidata:Q16748603|Module:No globals]]" on most wikis. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T209310]
'''Future changes'''
* The [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-betafeatures|Beta Feature]] for [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools|DiscussionTools]] will be updated at most wikis. The "{{int:discussiontools-replylink}}" button will look different after this change. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T320683]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/42|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W42"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 21:46, 17 October 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-43 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W43"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/43|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* There have been some minor visual fixes in Special:Search, regarding audio player alignment and image placeholder height. Further details are in [[phab:T319230|T319230]].
* On Wikipedias, a new [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-searchoptions|preference]] has been added to hide article thumbnails in Special:Search. Full details are in [[phab:T320337|T320337]].
'''Problems'''
* Last week, three wikis ({{int:project-localized-name-frwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-jawiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-ruwiki/en}}) had read-only access for 25 minutes. This was caused by a hardware problem. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T320990]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/wmf.7|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-10-25|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-10-26|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-10-27|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] Some wikis will be in read-only for a few minutes because of a switch of their main database. It will be performed on {{#time:j xg|2022-10-25|en}} at 07:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s5.dblist targeted wikis]) and on {{#time:j xg|2022-10-27|en}} at 7:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s4.dblist targeted wikis]).
* Starting on Wednesday, a new set of Wikipedias will get "[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Tools/Add a link|Add a link]]" ({{int:project-localized-name-aswiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-bawiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-banwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-barwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-bat smgwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-bclwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-bewiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-be x oldwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-bgwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-bhwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-biwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-bjnwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-bmwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-bpywiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-brwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-bswiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-bugwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-bxrwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-idwiki/en}}). This is part of the [[phab:T304110|progressive deployment of this tool to more Wikipedias]]. The communities can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Community configuration|configure how this feature works locally]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T304549]
* Starting on Wednesday October 26, 2022, the list of mentors will be upgraded [[d:Q14339834 | at wikis where Growth mentorship is available]]. The mentorship system will continue to work as it does now. The signup process [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Communities/How to configure the mentors' list#add|will be replaced]], and a new management option will be provided. Also, this change simplifies [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Communities/How to configure the mentors' list#create|the creation of mentorship systems at Wikipedias]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T314858][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T310905][https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Structured_mentor_list]
* Pages with titles that start with a lower-case letter according to Unicode 11 will be renamed or deleted. There is a list of affected pages at <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[m:Unicode 11 case map migration]]</bdi>. More information can be found at [[phab:T292552|T292552]].
* The Vector 2022 skin will become the default across the smallest Wikipedias. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop_Improvements#smallest-1|Learn more]].
'''Future changes'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project/Replying|Reply tool]] and [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project/New discussion|New Topic tool]] will soon get a [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/VisualEditor/Special characters|special characters menu]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T249072]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/43|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W43"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 21:22, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-44 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W44"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/44|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* When using keyboard navigation on a [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Kartographer|Kartographer]] map, the focus will become more visible. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T315997]
* In {{#special:RecentChanges}}, you can now hide the log entries for new user creations with the filter for "{{int:rcfilters-filter-newuserlogactions-label}}". [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T321155]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/wmf.8|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-11-01|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-11-02|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-11-03|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Kartographer|maps dialog]] in VisualEditor now has some help texts. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T318818]
* It is now possible to select the language of a [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Kartographer|Kartographer]] map in VisualEditor via a dropdown menu. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T318817]
* It is now possible to add a caption to a [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Kartographer|Kartographer]] map in VisualEditor. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T318815]
* It is now possible to hide the frame of a [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Kartographer|Kartographer]] map in VisualEditor. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T318813]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/44|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W44"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 21:15, 31 October 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-45 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W45"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/45|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* An updated version of the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/EventCenter/Registration|Event Registration]] tool is now available for testing at [[testwiki:|testwiki]] and [[test2wiki:| test2wiki]]. The tool provides features for event organizers and participants. Your feedback is welcome at our [[m:Talk:Campaigns/Foundation Product Team/Registration|project talkpage]]. More information about [[m:Campaigns/Foundation Product Team/Registration|the project]] is available. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T318592]
'''Problems'''
* Twice last week, for about 45 minutes, some files and thumbnails failed to load and uploads failed, mostly for logged-in users. The cause is being investigated and an incident report will be available soon.
'''Changes later this week'''
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/45|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W45"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:32, 8 November 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-46 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W46"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/46|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* At Wikidata, an interwiki link can now point to a redirect page if certain conditions are met. This new feature is called [[wikidata:Special:MyLanguage/Wikidata:Sitelinks_to_redirects|sitelinks to redirects]]. It is needed when one wiki uses one page to cover multiple concepts but another wiki uses more pages to cover the same concepts. Your [[wikidata:Special:MyLanguage/Wikidata talk:Sitelinks to redirects|feedback on the talkpage]] of the new proposed guideline is welcome. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T278962]
* The <span class="mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr">[https://www.wikinews.org/ www.wikinews.org]</span>, <span class="mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr">[https://www.wikiversity.org/ www.wikiversity.org]</span>, and <span class="mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr">[https://www.wikivoyage.org/ www.wikivoyage.org]</span> portal pages now use an automated update system. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T273179]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/wmf.10|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-11-15|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-11-16|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-11-17|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* There will be a new link to directly "Edit template data" on Template pages. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T316759]
'''Future changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Wikis where mobile [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools|DiscussionTools]] are enabled ([[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project/Deployment Status|these ones]]) will soon use full CSS styling to display any templates that are placed at the top of talk pages. To adapt these “talk page boxes” for narrow mobile devices you can use media queries, such as in [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Module:Message_box/tmbox.css&oldid=1097618699#L-69 this example]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T312309]
* Starting in January 2023, [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Tech|Community Tech]] will be [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey/Updates/2023 Changes Update|running the Community Wishlist Survey (CWS) every two years]]. This means that in 2024, there will be no new proposals or voting.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/46|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W46"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 21:54, 14 November 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-47 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W47"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/47|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The display of non-free media in the search bar and for article thumbnails in Special:Search has been deactivated. Further details are in [[phab:T320661|T320661]].
'''Changes later this week'''
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] Some wikis will be in read-only for a few minutes because of a switch of their main database. It will be performed on {{#time:j xg|2022-11-22|en}} at 07:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s2.dblist targeted wikis]) and on {{#time:j xg|2022-11-24|en}} at 07:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s7.dblist targeted wikis]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/47|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W47"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:22, 21 November 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-48 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W48"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/48|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* A new preference, “Enable limited width mode”, has been added to the [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-rendering|Vector 2022 skin]]. The preference is also available as a toggle on every page if your monitor is 1600 pixels or wider. It allows for increasing the width of the page for logged-out and logged-in users. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T319449]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/wmf.12|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-11-29|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-11-30|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-12-01|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] Some wikis will be in read-only for a few minutes because of a switch of their main database. It will be performed on {{#time:j xg|2022-11-29|en}} at 07:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s3.dblist targeted wikis]) and on {{#time:j xg|2022-12-01|en}} at 07:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s1.dblist targeted wikis]).
* Mathematical formulas shown in SVG image format will no longer have PNG fall-backs for browsers that don't support them. This is part of work to modernise the generation system. Showing only PNG versions was the default option until in February 2018. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/3BGOKWJIZGL4TC4HJ22ICRU2SEPWGCR4/][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T311620][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T186327]
* On [[phab:P40224|some wikis]] that use flagged revisions, [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:FlaggedRevs#Special:Contributions|a new checkbox will be added]] to Special:Contributions that enables you to see only the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Pending changes|pending changes]] by a user. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T321445]
'''Future changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] How media is structured in the parser's HTML output will change early next week at [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train#Wednesday group1 wikis] (but not Wikimedia Commons or Meta-Wiki). This change improves the accessibility of content, and makes it easier to write related CSS. You may need to update your site-CSS, or userscripts and gadgets. There are [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Parsoid/Parser_Unification/Media_structure/FAQ|details on what code to check, how to update the code, and where to report any related problems]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T314318]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/48|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W48"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 20:03, 28 November 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-49 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W49"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/49|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The Wikisources use a tool called ProofreadPage. ProofreadPage uses OpenSeadragon which is an open source tool. The OpenSeadragon JavaScript API has been significantly re-written to support dynamically loading images. The functionality provided by the older version of the API should still work but it is no longer supported. User scripts and gadgets should migrate over to the newer version of the API. The functionality provided by the newer version of the API is [[mw:Extension:Proofread_Page/Page_viewer#JS_API|documented on MediaWiki]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T308098][https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:Proofread_Page/Edit-in-Sequence]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/wmf.13|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-12-06|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-12-07|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-12-08|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/49|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W49"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:41, 6 December 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-50 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W50"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/50|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* An [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project/Mobile|A/B test has begun]] at 15 Wikipedias for [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools#Mobile|DiscussionTools on mobile]]. Half of the editors on the [[mw:Reading/Web/Mobile|mobile web site]] will have access to the {{int:discussiontools-replybutton}} tool and other features. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T321961]
* The character <code>=</code> cannot be used in new usernames, to make usernames work better with templates. Existing usernames are not affected. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T254045]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/wmf.14|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2022-12-13|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2022-12-14|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2022-12-15|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The HTML markup used by [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools|DiscussionTools]] to [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk_pages_project/Usability#Phase_1:_Topic_containers|show discussion metadata below section headings]] will be inserted after these headings, not inside of them. This change improves the accessibility of discussion pages for screen reader software. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T314714]
'''Events'''
* The fourth edition of the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Coolest_Tool_Award|Coolest Tool Award]] will happen online on [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1671210002 Friday 16 December 2022 at 17:00 UTC]! The event will be live-streamed on YouTube in the [https://www.youtube.com/user/watchmediawiki MediaWiki channel] and added to Commons afterwards.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/50|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W50"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:34, 12 December 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2022-51 ==
<section begin="technews-2022-W51"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/51|Translations]] are available.
'''Tech News'''
* Because of the [[w:en:Christmas and holiday season|holidays]] the next issue of Tech News will be sent out on 9 January 2023.
'''Recent changes'''
* On a user's contributions page, you can filter it for edits with a tag like 'reverted'. Now, you can also filter for all edits that are not tagged like that. This was part of a Community Wishlist 2022 request. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T119072]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] A new function has been used for gadget developers to add content underneath the title on article pages. This is considered a stable API that should work across all skins. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/ResourceLoader/Core_modules#addSubtitle|Documentation is available]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T316830]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] [[test2wiki:|One of our test wikis]] is now being served from a new infrastructure powered by [[w:Kubernetes|Kubernetes]] ([[wikitech:MediaWiki On Kubernetes|read more]]). More Wikis will switch to this new infrastructure in early 2023. Please test and let us know of any issues. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T290536]
'''Problems'''
* Last week, all wikis had no edit access for 9 minutes. This was caused by a database problem. [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Incidents/2022-12-13_sessionstore]
'''Changes later this week'''
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week or next week.
* The word "{{int:discussiontools-replybutton}}" is very short in some languages, such as Arabic ("<bdi lang="ar">ردّ</bdi>"). This makes the {{int:discussiontools-preference-label}} button on talk pages difficult to use. An arrow icon will be added to those languages. This will only be visible to editors who have the [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-betafeatures|Beta Feature]] turned on. [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Talk_pages_project/Usability#Status] [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T323537]
'''Future changes'''
* Edits can be automatically "tagged" by the system software or the {{int:Abusefilter}} system. Those tags link to a help page about the tags. Soon they will also link to Recent Changes to let you see other edits tagged this way. This was a Community Wishlist 2022 request. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T301063]
* The Trust & Safety tools team [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Private Incident Reporting System/Timeline and Updates|have shared new plans]] for building the Private Incident Reporting System. The system will make it easier for editors to ask for help if they are harassed or abused.
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey 2021/Real Time Preview for Wikitext|Realtime Preview for Wikitext]] is coming out of beta as an enabled feature for every user of the 2010 Wikitext [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Editor|editor]] in the week of January 9, 2023. It will be available to use via the toolbar in the 2010 Wikitext editor. The feature was the 4th most popular wish of the Community Wishlist Survey 2021.
'''Events'''
* You can now [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Hackathon 2023/Participate|register for the Wikimedia Hackathon 2023]], taking place on May 19–21 in Athens, Greece. You can also apply for a scholarship until January 14th.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2022/51|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2022-W51"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:00, 20 December 2022 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-02 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W02"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/02|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* You can use tags to filter edits in the recent changes feed or on your watchlist. You can now use tags to filter out edits you don't want to see. Previously you could only use tags to focus on the edits with those tags. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T174349]
* [[Special:WhatLinksHere|Special:WhatLinksHere]] shows all pages that link to a specific page. There is now a [https://wlh.toolforge.org prototype] for how to sort those pages alphabetically. You can see the discussion in the [[phab:T4306|Phabricator ticket]].
* You can now use the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Thanks|thanks]] function on your watchlist and the user contribution page. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T51541]
* A wiki page can be moved to give it a new name. You can now get a dropdown menu with common reasons when you move a page. This is so you don't have to write the explanation every time. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T325257]
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Matrix.org|Matrix]] is a chat tool. You can now use <code>matrix:</code> to create Matrix links on wiki pages. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T326021]
* You can filter out translations when you look at the recent changes on multilingual wikis. This didn't hide translation pages. You can now also hide subpages which are translation pages. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T233493]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Real Time Preview for Wikitext|Realtime preview for wikitext]] is a tool which lets editors preview the page when they edit wikitext. It will be enabled for all users of the 2010 wikitext editor. You will find it in the editor toolbar.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] Some wikis will be in read-only for a few minutes because of a switch of their main database. It will be performed on {{#time:j xg|2023-01-10|en}} at 07:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s5.dblist targeted wikis]) and on {{#time:j xg|2023-01-12|en}} at 07:00 UTC ([https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s6.dblist targeted wikis]).
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/wmf.18|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-01-10|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-01-11|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-01-12|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/02|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W02"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 01:07, 10 January 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-03 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W03"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/03|Translations]] are available.
'''Problems'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The URLs in "{{int:last}}" links on page history now contain <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>diff=prev&oldid=[revision ID]</nowiki></code></bdi> in place of <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>diff=[revision ID]&oldid=[revision ID]</nowiki></code></bdi>. This is to fix a problem with links pointing to incorrect diffs when history was filtered by a tag. Some user scripts may break as a result of this change. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T243569]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/wmf.19|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-01-17|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-01-18|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-01-19|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* Some [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project/Usability|changes to the appearance of talk pages]] have only been available on <code>{{ns:1}}:</code> and <code>{{ns:3}}:</code> namespaces. These will be extended to other talk namespaces, such as <code>{{ns:5}}:</code>. They will continue to be unavailable in non-talk namespaces, including <code>{{ns:4}}:</code> pages (e.g., at the Village Pump). You can [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-editing-discussion|change your preferences]] ([[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-betafeatures|beta feature]]). [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T325417]
*On Wikisources, when an image is zoomed or panned in the Page: namespace, the same zoom and pan settings will be remembered for all Page: namespace pages that are linked to a particular Index: namespace page. [https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/r/c/mediawiki/extensions/ProofreadPage/+/868841]
* The Vector 2022 skin will become the default for the English Wikipedia desktop users. The change will take place on January 18 at 15:00 UTC. [[:en:w:Wikipedia:Vector 2022|Learn more]].
'''Future changes'''
* The 2023 edition of the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey 2023|Community Wishlist Survey]], which invites contributors to make technical proposals and vote for tools and improvements, starts next week on 23 January 2023 at 18:00 UTC. You can start drafting your proposals in [[m:Community Wishlist Survey/Sandbox|the CWS sandbox]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/03|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W03"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 01:10, 17 January 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-04 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W04"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/04|Translations]] are available.
'''Problems'''
* Last week, for ~15 minutes, all wikis were unreachable for logged-in users and non-cached pages. This was caused by a timing issue. [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Incidents/2023-01-17_MediaWiki]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/wmf.20|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-01-24|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-01-25|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-01-26|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* If you have the Beta Feature for [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project|DiscussionTools]] enabled, the appearance of talk pages will add more information about discussion activity. [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Talk_pages_project/Usability#Status][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T317907]
* The 2023 edition of the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey 2023|Community Wishlist Survey]] (CWS), which invites contributors to make technical proposals and vote for tools and improvements, starts on Monday 23 January 2023 at [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1674496814 18:00 UTC].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/04|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W04"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:46, 23 January 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-05 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W05"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/05|Translations]] are available.
'''Problems'''
* Last week, for ~15 minutes, some users were unable to log in or edit pages. This was caused by a problem with session storage. [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Incidents/2023-01-24_sessionstore_quorum_issues]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/wmf.21|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-01-31|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-02-01|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-02-02|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Wikis that use localized numbering schemes for references need to add new CSS. This will help to show citation numbers the same way in all reading and editing modes. If your wiki would prefer to do it yourselves, please see the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Parsoid/Parser Unification/Cite CSS|details and example CSS to copy from]], and also add your wiki to the list. Otherwise, the developers will directly help out starting the week of February 5.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/05|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W05"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:05, 31 January 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-06 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W06"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/06|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* In the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements|Vector 2022 skin]], logged-out users using the full-width toggle will be able to see the setting of their choice even after refreshing pages or opening new ones. This only applies to wikis where Vector 2022 is the default. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T321498]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/wmf.22|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-02-07|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-02-08|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-02-09|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* Previously, we announced when some wikis would be in read-only for a few minutes because of a switch of their main database. These switches will not be announced any more, as the read-only time has become non-significant. Switches will continue to happen at 7AM UTC on Tuesdays and Thursdays. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T292543#8568433]
* Across all the wikis, in the Vector 2022 skin, logged-in users will see the page-related links such as "What links here" in a [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop_Improvements/Features/Page_tools|new side menu]]. It will be displayed on the other side of the screen. This change had previously been made on Czech, English, and Vietnamese Wikipedias. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T328692]
*[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey 2023|Community Wishlist Survey 2023]] will stop receiving new proposals on [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1675706431 Monday, 6 February 2023, at 18:00 UTC]. Proposers should complete any edits by then, to give time for [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community_Wishlist_Survey/Help_us|translations]] and review. Voting will begin on Friday, 10 February.
'''Future changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Gadgets and user scripts will be changing to load on desktop and mobile sites. Previously they would only load on the desktop site. It is recommended that wiki administrators audit the [[MediaWiki:Gadgets-definition|gadget definitions]] prior to this change, and add <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>skins=…</code></bdi> for any gadgets which should not load on mobile. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T328610 More details are available].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/06|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W06"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 10:21, 6 February 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-07 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W07"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/07|Translations]] are available.
'''Problems'''
* On wikis where patrolled edits are enabled, changes made to the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Communities/How to configure the mentors' list|mentor list]] by autopatrolled mentors are not correctly marked as patrolled. It will be fixed later this week. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T328444]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/wmf.23|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-02-14|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-02-15|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-02-16|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* The Reply tool and other parts of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools#Mobile|DiscussionTools]] will be deployed for all editors using the mobile site. You can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk_pages_project/Mobile#Status_Updates|read more about this decision]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T298060]
'''Future changes'''
* All wikis will be read-only for a few minutes on March 1. This is planned for [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1677679222 14:00 UTC]. More information will be published in Tech News and will also be posted on individual wikis in the coming weeks. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T328287][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T327920][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/07|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W07"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 01:48, 14 February 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-08 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W08"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/08|Translations]] are available.
'''Problems'''
* Last week, during planned maintenance of Cloud Services, unforeseen complications forced the team to turn off all tools for 2–3 hours to prevent data corruption. Work is ongoing to prevent similar problems in the future. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T329535]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/wmf.23|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-02-21|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-02-22|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-02-23|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/Roadmap|calendar]]).
*The voting phase for the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey 2023|Community Wishlist Survey 2023]] ends on [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1677261621 24 February at 18:00 UTC]. The results of the survey will be announced on 28 February.
'''Future changes'''
* All wikis will be read-only for a few minutes on March 1. This is planned for [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1677679222 14:00 UTC]. More information will be published in Tech News and will also be posted on individual wikis in the coming weeks. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T328287][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T327920][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/08|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W08"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 01:57, 21 February 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-09 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W09"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/09|Translations]] are available.
'''Problems'''
* Last week, in some areas of the world, there were problems with loading pages for 20 minutes and saving edits for 55 minutes. These issues were caused by a problem with our caching servers due to unforseen events during a routine maintenance task. [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Incidents/2023-02-22_wiki_outage][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Incidents/2023-02-22_read_only]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/wmf.25|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-02-28|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-03-01|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-03-02|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* All wikis will be read-only for a few minutes on March 1. This is planned for [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1677679222 14:00 UTC]. [https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Tech/Server_switch]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/09|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W09"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:47, 27 February 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-10 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W10"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/10|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The Community Wishlist Survey 2023 edition has been concluded. Community Tech has [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey 2023/Results|published the results]] of the survey and will provide an update on what is next in April 2023.
* On wikis which use [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Writing_systems|LanguageConverter]] to handle multiple writing systems, articles which used custom conversion rules in the wikitext (primarily on Chinese Wikipedia) would have these rules applied inconsistently in the table of contents, especially in the Vector 2022 skin. This has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T306862]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/wmf.26|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-03-07|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-03-08|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-03-09|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* A search system has been added to the [[Special:Preferences|Preferences screen]]. This will let you find different options more easily. Making it work on mobile devices will happen soon. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T313804]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/10|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W10"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:49, 6 March 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-11 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W11"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/11|Translations]] are available.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/wmf.27|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-03-14|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-03-15|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-03-16|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* Starting on Wednesday, a new set of Wikipedias will get "[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Tools/Add a link|Add a link]]" ({{int:project-localized-name-cbk_zamwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-cdowiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-cewiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-cebwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-chwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-chrwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-chywiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-ckbwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-cowiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-csbwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-cuwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-cvwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-cywiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-itwiki/en}}). This is part of the [[phab:T304110|progressive deployment of this tool to more Wikipedias]]. The communities can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Community configuration|configure how this feature works locally]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T304542][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T304550]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/11|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W11"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:20, 13 March 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-12 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W12"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/12|Translations]] are available.
'''Problems'''
* Last week, some users experienced issues loading image thumbnails. This was due to incorrectly cached images. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T331820]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.1|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-03-21|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-03-22|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-03-23|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Wishlist item]] A link to the user's [[{{#special:CentralAuth}}]] page will appear on [[{{#special:Contributions}}]] — some user scripts which previously added this link may cause conflicts. This feature request was [[:m:Community Wishlist Survey 2023/Admins and patrollers/Add link to CentralAuth on Special:Contributions|voted #17 in the 2023 Community Wishlist Survey]].
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Wishlist item]] The [[{{#special:AbuseFilter}}]] edit window will be resizable and larger by default. This feature request was [[:m:Community Wishlist Survey 2023/Anti-harassment/Make the AbuseFilter edit window resizable and larger by default|voted #80 in the 2023 Community Wishlist Survey]].
* There will be a new option for Administrators when they are unblocking a user, to add the unblocked user’s user page to their watchlist. This will work both via [[{{#special:Unblock}}]] and via the API. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T257662]
'''Meetings'''
* You can join the next meeting with the Wikipedia mobile apps teams. During the meeting, we will discuss the current features and future roadmap. The meeting will be on [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1679677204 24 March at 17:00 (UTC)]. See [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Office Hours|details and how to join]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/12|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W12"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 01:25, 21 March 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-13 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W13"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/13|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The [[:mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:AbuseFilter|AbuseFilter]] condition limit was increased from 1000 to 2000. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T309609]
* [[:m:Special:MyLanguage/Global AbuseFilter#Locally disabled actions|Some Global AbuseFilter]] actions will no longer apply to local projects. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T332521]
* Desktop users are now able to subscribe to talk pages by clicking on the {{int:discussiontools-newtopicssubscription-button-subscribe-label}} link in the {{int:toolbox}} menu. If you subscribe to a talk page, you receive [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Notifications|notifications]] when new topics are started on that talk page. This is separate from putting the page on your watchlist or subscribing to a single discussion. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T263821]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.2|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-03-28|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-03-29|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-03-30|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.40/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* You will be able to choose [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/VisualEditor/Diffs|visual diffs]] on all [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Page history|history pages]] at the Wiktionaries and Wikipedias. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T314588]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The legacy [[mw:Mobile Content Service|Mobile Content Service]] is going away in July 2023. Developers are encouraged to switch to Parsoid or another API before then to ensure service continuity. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/4MVQQTONJT7FJAXNVOFV3WWVVMCHRINE/]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/13|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W13"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 01:13, 28 March 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-14 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W14"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/14|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The system for automatically creating categories for the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Babel|Babel]] extension has had several important changes and fixes. One of them allows you to insert templates for automatic category descriptions on creation, allowing you to categorize the new categories. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T211665][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T64714][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T170654][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T184941][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T33074]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.3|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-04-04|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-04-05|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-04-06|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* Some older [[w:en:Web browser|Web browsers]] will stop being able to use [[w:en:JavaScript|JavaScript]] on Wikimedia wikis from this week. This mainly affects users of Internet Explorer 11. If you have an old web browser on your computer you can try to upgrade to a newer version. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T178356]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The deprecated <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>jquery.hoverIntent</code></bdi> module has been removed. This module could be used by gadgets and user scripts, to create an artificial delay in how JavaScript responds to a hover event. Gadgets and user scripts should now use jQuery <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>hover()</code></bdi> or <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>on()</code></bdi> instead. Examples can be found in the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/ResourceLoader/Migration_guide_(users)#jquery.hoverIntent|migration guide]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T311194]
* Some of the links in [[{{#special:SpecialPages}}]] will be re-arranged. There will be a clearer separation between links that relate to all users, and links related to your own user account. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T333242]
* You will be able to hide the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project/Replying|Reply button]] in archived discussion pages with a new <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>__ARCHIVEDTALK__</nowiki></code></bdi> magic word. There will also be a new <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>.mw-archivedtalk</code></bdi> CSS class for hiding the Reply button in individual sections on a page. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T249293][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T295553][https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/r/c/mediawiki/extensions/DiscussionTools/+/738221]
'''Future changes'''
* The Vega software that creates data visualizations in pages, such as graphs, will be upgraded to the newest version in the future. Graphs that still use the very old version 1.5 syntax may stop working properly. Most existing uses have been found and updated, but you can help to check, and to update any local documentation. [[phab:T260542|Examples of how to find and fix these graphs are available]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/14|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W14"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:39, 3 April 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-15 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W15"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/15|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Wishlist item]] In the visual editor, it is now possible to edit captions of images in galleries without opening the gallery dialog. This feature request was [[:m:Community Wishlist Survey 2023/Editing/Editable gallery captions in Visual Editor|voted #61 in the 2023 Community Wishlist Survey]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T190224]
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Wishlist item]] You can now receive notifications when another user edits your user page. See the "{{int:Echo-category-title-edit-user-page}}" option in [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-echo|your Preferences]]. This feature request was [[:m:Community Wishlist Survey 2023/Anti-harassment/Notifications for user page edits|voted #3 in the 2023 Community Wishlist Survey]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T3876]
'''Problems'''
* There was a problem with all types of CentralNotice banners still being shown to logged-in users even if they had [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-centralnotice-banners|turned off]] specific banner types. This has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T331671]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.4|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-04-11|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-04-12|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-04-13|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* Starting on Wednesday, a new set of Wikipedias will get "[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Tools/Add a link|Add a link]]" ({{int:project-localized-name-arywiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-dawiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-dinwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-dsbwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-eewiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-elwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-emlwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-eowiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-etwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-euwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-extwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-tumwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-ffwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-fiwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-fiu_vrowiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-fjwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-fowiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-frpwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-frrwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-furwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-gawiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-gcrwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-gdwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-glwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-glkwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-gnwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-gomwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-gotwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-guwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-gvwiki/en}}). This is part of the [[phab:T304110|progressive deployment of this tool to more Wikipedias]]. The communities can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Community configuration|configure how this feature works locally]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T304551][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T308133]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/15|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W15"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 20:05, 10 April 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-16 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W16"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/16|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* You can now see [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Kartographer#Show_nearby_articles|nearby articles on a Kartographer map]] with the button for the new feature "{{int:Kartographer-sidebar-nearbybutton}}". Six wikis have been testing this feature since October. [https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WMDE_Technical_Wishes/Geoinformation/Nearby_articles#Implementation][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T334079]
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Wishlist item]] The [[m:Special:GlobalWatchlist|Special:GlobalWatchlist]] page now has links for "{{int:globalwatchlist-markpageseen}}" for each entry. This feature request was [[m:Community Wishlist Survey 2023/Notifications, Watchlists and Talk Pages/Button to mark a single change as read in the global watch list|voted #161 in the 2023 Community Wishlist Survey]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T334246]
'''Problems'''
* At Wikimedia Commons, some thumbnails have not been getting replaced correctly after a new version of the image is uploaded. This should be fixed later this week. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T331138][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T333042]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] For the last few weeks, some external tools had inconsistent problems with logging-in with OAuth. This has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T332650]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.5|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-04-18|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-04-19|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-04-20|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/16|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W16"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 01:54, 18 April 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-17 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W17"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/17|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Wishlist item]] The date-selection menu on pages such as [[{{#special:Contributions}}]] will now show year-ranges that are in the current and past decade, instead of the current and future decade. This feature request was [[m:Community Wishlist Survey 2023/Miscellaneous/Change year range shown in date selection popup|voted #145 in the 2023 Community Wishlist Survey]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T334316]
'''Problems'''
* Due to security issues with the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Graph|Graph extension]], graphs have been disabled in all Wikimedia projects. Wikimedia Foundation teams are working to respond to these vulnerabilities. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T334940]
* For a few days, it was not possible to save some kinds of edits on the mobile version of a wiki. This has been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T334797][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T334799][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T334794]
'''Changes later this week'''
* All wikis will be read-only for a few minutes on April 26. This is planned for [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1682517653 14:00 UTC]. [https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Tech/Server_switch]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.6|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-04-25|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-04-26|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-04-27|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* The Editing team plans an A/B test for [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project/Usability|a usability analysis of the Talk page project]]. The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project/Usability/Analysis|planned measurements are available]]. Your wiki [[phab:T332946|may be invited to participate]]. Please suggest improvements to the measurement plan at [[mw:Talk:Talk pages project/Usability|the discussion page]].
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2023-2024|The Wikimedia Foundation annual plan 2023-2024 draft is open for comment and input]] until May 19. The final plan will be published in July 2023 on Meta-wiki.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/17|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W17"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 22:03, 24 April 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-18 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W18"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/18|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Wishlist item]] The content attribution tools [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Who Wrote That?|Who Wrote That?]], [[xtools:authorship|XTools Authorship]], and [[xtools:blame|XTools Blame]] now support the French and Italian Wikipedias. More languages will be added in the near future. This is part of the [[m:Community Wishlist Survey 2023/Reading/Extend "Who Wrote That?" tool to more wikis|#7 wish in the 2023 Community Wishlist Survey]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T243711][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T270490][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T334891]
* The [[:commons:Special:MyLanguage/Commons:Video2commons|Video2commons]] tool has been updated. This fixed several bugs related to YouTube uploads. [https://github.com/toolforge/video2commons/pull/162/commits]
* The [[{{#special:Preferences}}]] page has been redesigned on mobile web. The new design makes it easier to browse the different categories and settings at low screen widths. You can also now access the page via a link in the Settings menu in the mobile web sidebar. [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Moderator_Tools/Content_moderation_on_mobile_web/Preferences]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.7|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-05-02|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-05-03|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-05-04|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/18|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W18"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 01:45, 2 May 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-19 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W19"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/19|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Wishlist item]] Last week, Community Tech released the first update for providing [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey 2022/Better diff handling of paragraph splits|better diffs]], the #1 request in the 2022 Community Wishlist Survey. [[phab:T324759|This update]] adds legends and tooltips to inline diffs so that users unfamiliar with the blue and yellow highlights can better understand the type of edits made.
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Wishlist item]] When you close an image that is displayed via MediaViewer, it will now return to the wiki page instead of going back in your browser history. This feature request was [[m:Community Wishlist Survey 2023/Reading/Return to the article when closing the MediaViewer|voted #65 in the 2023 Community Wishlist Survey]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T236591]
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:SyntaxHighlight|SyntaxHighlight]] extension now supports <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr"><code>wikitext</code></bdi> as a selected language. Old alternatives that were used to highlight wikitext, such as <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr"><code>html5</code></bdi>, <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr"><code>moin</code></bdi>, and <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr"><code>html+handlebars</code></bdi>, can now be replaced. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T29828]
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Creating pages with preloaded text|Preloading text to new pages/sections]] now supports preloading from localized MediaWiki interface messages. [https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Martin_Urbanec_(WMF)?action=edit§ion=new&preload=MediaWiki:July Here is an example] at the {{int:project-localized-name-cswiki/en}} that uses <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>preload=MediaWiki:July</nowiki></code></bdi>. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T330337]
'''Problems'''
* Graph Extension update: Foundation developers have completed upgrading the visualization software to Vega5. Existing community graphs based on Vega2 are no longer compatible. Communities need to update local graphs and templates, and shared lua modules like <bdi lang="de" dir="ltr">[[:de:Modul:Graph]]</bdi>. The [https://vega.github.io/vega/docs/porting-guide/ Vega Porting guide] provides the most comprehensive detail on migration from Vega2 and [https://www.mediawiki.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Graph:PageViews&action=history here is an example migration]. Vega5 has currently just been enabled on mediawiki.org to provide a test environment for communities. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T334940#8813922]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.8|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-05-09|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-05-10|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-05-11|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Until now, all new OAuth apps went through manual review. Starting this week, apps using identification-only or basic authorizations will not require review. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T67750]
'''Future changes'''
* During the next year, MediaWiki will stop using IP addresses to identify logged-out users, and will start automatically assigning unique temporary usernames. Read more at [[m:Special:MyLanguage/IP Editing: Privacy Enhancement and Abuse Mitigation/Updates|IP Editing: Privacy Enhancement and Abuse Mitigation/Updates]]. You can [[m:Talk:IP Editing: Privacy Enhancement and Abuse Mitigation#What should it look like?|join the discussion]] about the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/IP Editing: Privacy Enhancement and Abuse Mitigation/Updates#What will temporary usernames look like?|format of the temporary usernames]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T332805]
* There will be an [[:w:en:A/B testing|A/B test]] on 10 Wikipedias where the Vector 2022 skin is the default skin. Half of logged-in desktop users will see an interface where the different parts of the page are more clearly separated. You can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements/Updates/2023-05 Zebra9 A/B test|read more]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T333180][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T335972]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] <code>jquery.tipsy</code> will be removed from the MediaWiki core. This will affect some user scripts. Many lines with <code>.tipsy(</code> can be commented out. <code>OO.ui.PopupWidget</code> can be used to keep things working like they are now. You can [[phab:T336019|read more]] and [[:mw:Help:Locating broken scripts|read about how to find broken scripts]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T336019]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/19|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W19"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:36, 9 May 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-20 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W20"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/20|Translations]] are available.
'''Problems'''
* Citations that are automatically generated based on [[d:Q33057|ISBN]] are currently broken. This affects citations made with the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:VisualEditor/User_guide/Citations-Full#Automatic|VisualEditor Automatic tab]], and the use of the citoid API in gadgets and user scripts. Work is ongoing to restore this feature. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T336298]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.9|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-05-16|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-05-17|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-05-18|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* Starting on Wednesday, a new set of Wikipedias will get "[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Tools/Add a link|Add a link]]" ({{int:project-localized-name-gorwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-hawiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-hakwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-hawwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-hifwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-hrwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-hsbwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-htwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-iawiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-iewiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-igwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-ilowiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-inhwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-iowiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-iswiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-iuwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-jamwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-jvwiki/en}}). This is part of the [[phab:T304110|progressive deployment of this tool to more Wikipedias]]. The communities can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Community configuration|configure how this feature works locally]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T308134]
'''Future changes'''
* There is a recently formed team at the Wikimedia Foundation which will be focusing on experimenting with new tools. Currently they are building [[m:Wikimedia_Foundation_Annual_Plan/2023-2024/Draft/Future_Audiences#FA2.2_Conversational_AI|a prototype ChatGPT plugin that allows information generated by ChatGPT to be properly attributed]] to the Wikimedia projects.
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Gadget and userscript developers should replace <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>jquery.cookie</code></bdi> with <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>mediawiki.cookie</code></bdi>. The <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>jquery.cookie</code></bdi> library will be removed in ~1 month, and staff developers will run a script to replace any remaining uses at that time. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T336018]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/20|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W20"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 21:45, 15 May 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-21 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W21"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/21|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Wishlist item]] The "recent edits" time period for page watchers is now 30 days. It used to be 180 days. This was a [[m:Community Wishlist Survey 2023/Notifications, Watchlists and Talk Pages/Change information about the number of watchers on a page|Community Wishlist Survey proposal]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T336250]
'''Changes later this week'''
* An [[mw:special:MyLanguage/Growth/Positive reinforcement#Impact|improved impact module]] will be available at Wikipedias. The impact module is a feature available to newcomers [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Feature summary#Newcomer homepage|at their personal homepage]]. It will show their number of edits, how many readers their edited pages have, how many thanks they have received and similar things. It is also accessible by accessing Special:Impact. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T336203]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.10|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-05-23|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-05-24|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-05-25|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/21|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W21"/>
16:55, 22 May 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-22 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W22"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/22|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Citations can once again be added automatically from ISBNs, thanks to Zotero's ISBN searches. The current data sources are the Library of Congress (United States), the Bibliothèque nationale de France (French National Library), and K10plus ISBN (German repository). Additional data source searches can be [[mw:Citoid/Creating Zotero translators|proposed to Zotero]]. The ISBN labels in the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:VisualEditor/User_guide/Citations-Full#Automatic|VisualEditor Automatic tab]] will reappear later this week. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T336298#8859917]
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Wishlist item]] The page [[{{#special:EditWatchlist}}]] now has "{{int:watchlistedit-normal-check-all}}" options to select all the pages within a namespace. This feature request was [[m:Community Wishlist Survey 2023/Notifications, Watchlists and Talk Pages/Watchlist edit - "check all" checkbox|voted #161 in the 2023 Community Wishlist Survey]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T334252]
'''Problems'''
* For a few days earlier this month, the "Add interlanguage link" item in the Tools menu did not work properly. This has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T337081]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.11|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-05-30|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-05-31|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-06-01|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* VisualEditor will be switched to a new backend on [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/source/mediawiki-config/browse/master/dblists/small.dblist small] and [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/source/mediawiki-config/browse/master/dblists/medium.dblist medium] wikis this week. Large wikis will follow in the coming weeks. This is part of the effort to move Parsoid into MediaWiki core. The change should have no noticeable effect on users, but if you experience any slow loading or other strangeness when using VisualEditor, please report it on the phabricator ticket linked here. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T320529]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/22|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W22"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 22:03, 29 May 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-23 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W23"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/23|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The [[:mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:RealMe|RealMe]] extension allows you to mark URLs on your user page as verified for Mastodon and similar software.
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Wishlist item]] Citation and footnote editing can now be started from the reference list when using the visual editor. This feature request was [[m:Community Wishlist Survey 2023/Citations/Allow citations to be edited in the references section with VisualEditor|voted #2 in the 2023 Community Wishlist Survey]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T54750]
* Previously, clicking on someone else's link to Recent Changes with filters applied within the URL could unintentionally change your preference for "{{int:Rcfilters-group-results-by-page}}". This has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T202916#8874081]
'''Problems'''
* For a few days last week, some tools and bots returned outdated information due to database replication problems, and may have been down entirely while it was being fixed. These issues have now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T337446]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.12|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-06-06|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-06-07|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-06-08|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* Bots will no longer be prevented from making edits because of URLs that match the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:SpamBlacklist|spam blacklist]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T313107]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/23|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W23"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 22:52, 5 June 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-24 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W24"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/24|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Wishlist item]] The content attribution tools [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Who Wrote That?|Who Wrote That?]], [[xtools:authorship|XTools Authorship]], and [[xtools:blame|XTools Blame]] now support the Dutch, German, Hungarian, Indonesian, Japanese, Polish and Portuguese Wikipedias. This was the [[m:Community Wishlist Survey 2023/Reading/Extend "Who Wrote That?" tool to more wikis|#7 wish in the 2023 Community Wishlist Survey]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T334891]
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Structured Data Across Wikimedia/Search Improvements#Search Preview panel|Search Preview panel]] has been deployed on four Wikipedias (Catalan, Dutch, Hungarian and Norwegian). The panel will show an image related to the article (if existing), the top sections of the article, related images (coming from MediaSearch on Commons), and eventually the sister projects associated with the article. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T306341]
* The [[:mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:RealMe#Verifying_a_link_on_non-user_pages|RealMe]] extension now allows administrators to verify URLs for any page, for Mastodon and similar software. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T324937]
* The default project license [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimediaannounce-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/7G6XPWZPQFLZ2JANN3ZX6RT4DVUI3HZQ/ has been officially upgraded] to CC BY-SA 4.0. The software interface messages have been updated. Communities should feel free to start updating any mentions of the old CC BY-SA 3.0 licensing within policies and related documentation pages. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T319064]
'''Problems'''
* For three days last month, some Wikipedia pages edited with VisualEditor or DiscussionTools had an unintended <code><nowiki>__TOC__</nowiki></code> (or its localized form) added during an edit. There is [[mw:Parsoid/Deployments/T336101_followup|a listing of affected pages sorted by wiki]], that may still need to be fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T336101]
* Currently, the "{{int:Visualeditor-dialog-meta-categories-defaultsort-label}}" feature in VisualEditor is broken. Existing <code><nowiki>{{DEFAULTSORT:...}}</nowiki></code> keywords incorrectly appear as missing templates in VisualEditor. Developers are exploring how to fix this. In the meantime, those wishing to edit the default sortkey of a page are advised to switch to source editing. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T337398]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Last week, an update to the delete form may have broken some gadgets or user scripts. If you need to manipulate (empty) the reason field, replace <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>#wpReason</code></bdi> with <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr" style="white-space: nowrap;"><code>#wpReason > input</code></bdi>. See [https://cs.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MediaWiki%3AGadget-CleanDeleteReasons.js&diff=22859956&oldid=12794189 an example fix]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T337809]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.13|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-06-13|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-06-14|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-06-15|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* VisualEditor will be switched to a new backend on English Wikipedia on Monday, and all other [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/source/mediawiki-config/browse/master/dblists/large.dblist large] wikis on Thursday. The change should have no noticeable effect on users, but if you experience any slow loading or other strangeness when using VisualEditor, please report it on the phabricator ticket linked here. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T320529]
'''Future changes'''
* From 5 June to 17 July, the Foundation's [[:mw:Wikimedia Security Team|Security team]] is holding a consultation with contributors regarding a draft policy to govern the use of third-party resources in volunteer-developed gadgets and scripts. Feedback and suggestions are warmly welcome at [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Third-party resources policy|Third-party resources policy]] on meta-wiki.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/24|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W24"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 14:51, 12 June 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-25 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W25"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/25|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Flame graphs are now available in WikimediaDebug. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/JXNQD3EHG5V5QW5UXFDPSHQG4MJ3FWJQ/][https://techblog.wikimedia.org/2023/06/08/flame-graphs-arrive-in-wikimediadebug/]
'''Changes later this week'''
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week.
* There is now a toolbar search popup in the visual editor. You can trigger it by typing <code>\</code> or pressing <code>ctrl + shift + p</code>. It can help you quickly access most tools in the editor. [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Visual_editor_toolbar_search_feature.png][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T66905]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/25|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W25"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 20:08, 19 June 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-26 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W26"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/26|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The Action API modules and Special:LinkSearch will now add a trailing <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>/</code></bdi> to all <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>prop=extlinks</code></bdi> responses for bare domains. This is part of the work to remove duplication in the <code>externallinks</code> database table. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T337994]
'''Problems'''
* Last week, search was broken on Commons and Wikidata for 23 hours. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T339810][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Incidents/2023-06-18_search_broken_on_wikidata_and_commons]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.15|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-06-27|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-06-28|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-06-29|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The Minerva skin now applies more predefined styles to the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>.mbox-text</code></bdi> CSS class. This enables support for mbox templates that use divs instead of tables. Please make sure that the new styles won't affect other templates in your wiki. [https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/r/c/mediawiki/skins/MinervaNeue/+/930901/][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T339040]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Gadgets will now load on both desktop and mobile by default. Previously, gadgets loaded only on desktop by default. Changing this default using the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>|targets=</code></bdi> parameter is also deprecated and should not be used. You should make gadgets work on mobile or disable them based on the skin (with the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>|skins=</code></bdi> parameter in <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">MediaWiki:Gadgets-definition</bdi>) rather than whether the user uses the mobile or the desktop website. Popular gadgets that create errors on mobile will be disabled by developers on the Minerva skin as a temporary solution. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T127268]
* All namespace tabs now have the same browser [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Keyboard_shortcuts|access key]] by default. Previously, custom and extension-defined namespaces would have to have their access keys set manually on-wiki, but that is no longer necessary. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T22126]
* The review form of the Flagged Revisions extension now uses the standardized [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Codex|user interface components]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T191156]
'''Future changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] How media is structured in the parser's HTML output will change in the coming weeks at [[:wikitech:Deployments/Train#Thursday|group2 wikis]]. This change improves the accessibility of content. You may need to update your site-CSS, or userscripts and gadgets. There are [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Parsoid/Parser_Unification/Media_structure/FAQ|details on what code to check, how to update the code, and where to report any related problems]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T314318]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/26|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W26"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 16:18, 26 June 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-27 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W27"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/27|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Wishlist item]] As part of the rolling out of the [[m:Community Wishlist Survey 2022/Multimedia and Commons/Audio links that play on click|audio links that play on click]] wishlist proposal, [https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/small.dblist small wikis] will now be able to use the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Phonos#Inline audio player mode|inline audio player]] that is implemented by the [[mw:Extension:Phonos|Phonos]] extension. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T336763]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] From this week all gadgets automatically load on mobile and desktop sites. If you see any problems with gadgets on your wikis, please adjust the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Gadgets#Options|gadget options]] in your gadget definitions file. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T328610]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.16|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-07-04|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-07-05|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-07-06|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/27|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W27"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 22:51, 3 July 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-28 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W28"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/28|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The [[:mw:Special:MyLanguage/Structured Data Across Wikimedia/Section-level Image Suggestions|Section-level Image Suggestions feature]] has been deployed on seven Wikipedias (Portuguese, Russian, Indonesian, Catalan, Hungarian, Finnish and Norwegian Bokmål). The feature recommends images for articles on contributors' watchlists that are a good match for individual sections of those articles.
* [[:m:Special:MyLanguage/Global AbuseFilter|Global abuse filters]] have been enabled on all Wikimedia projects, except English and Japanese Wikipedias (who opted out). This change was made following a [[:m:Requests for comment/Make global abuse filters opt-out|global request for comments]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T341159]
* [[{{#special:BlockedExternalDomains}}]] is a new tool for administrators to help fight spam. It provides a clearer interface for blocking plain domains (and their subdomains), is more easily searchable, and is faster for the software to process for each edit on the wiki. It does not support regex (for complex cases), nor URL path-matching, nor the [[MediaWiki:Spam-whitelist|MediaWiki:Spam-whitelist]], but otherwise it replaces most of the functionalities of the existing [[MediaWiki:Spam-blacklist|MediaWiki:Spam-blacklist]]. There is a Python script to help migrate all simple domains into this tool, and more feature details, within [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:BlockedExternalDomains|the tool's documentation]]. It is available at all wikis except for Meta-wiki, Commons, and Wikidata. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T337431]
* The WikiEditor extension was updated. It includes some of the most frequently used features of wikitext editing. In the past, many of its messages could only be translated by administrators, but now all regular translators on translatewiki can translate them. Please check [https://translatewiki.net/wiki/Special:MessageGroupStats?group=ext-wikieditor&messages=&x=D#sortable:0=asc the state of WikiEditor localization into your language], and if the "Completion" for your language shows anything less than 100%, please complete the translation. See [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-ambassadors@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/D4YELU2DXMZ75PGELUOKXXMFF3FH45XA/ a more detailed explanation].
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.17|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-07-11|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-07-12|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-07-13|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* The default protocol of [[{{#special:LinkSearch}}]] and API counterparts has changed from http to both http and https. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T14810]
* [[{{#special:LinkSearch}}]] and its API counterparts will now search for all of the URL provided in the query. It used to be only the first 60 characters. This feature was requested fifteen years ago. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T17218]
'''Future changes'''
* There is an experiment with a [[:w:en:ChatGPT|ChatGPT]] plugin. This is to show users where the information is coming from when they read information from Wikipedia. It has been tested by Wikimedia Foundation staff and other Wikimedians. Soon all ChatGPT plugin users can use the Wikipedia plugin. This is the same plugin which was mentioned in [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/20|Tech News 2023/20]]. [https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Annual_Plan/2023-2024/Draft/Future_Audiences#FA2.2_Conversational_AI]
* There is an ongoing discussion on a [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Third-party resources policy|proposed Third-party resources policy]]. The proposal will impact the use of third-party resources in gadgets and userscripts. Based on the ideas received so far, policy includes some of the risks related to user scripts and gadgets loading third-party resources, some best practices and exemption requirements such as code transparency and inspectability. Your feedback and suggestions are warmly welcome until July 17, 2023 on [[m:Talk:Third-party resources policy|on the policy talk page]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/28|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W28"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 19:54, 10 July 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-29 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W29"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/29|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] We are now serving 1% of all global user traffic from [[w:en:Kubernetes|Kubernetes]] (you can [[wikitech:MediaWiki On Kubernetes|read more technical details]]). We are planning to increment this percentage regularly. You can [[phab:T290536|follow the progress of this work]].
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.18|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-07-18|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-07-19|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-07-20|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] MediaWiki [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:System_message|system messages]] will now look for available local fallbacks, instead of always using the default fallback defined by software. This means wikis no longer need to override each language on the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Language#Fallback_languages|fallback chain]] separately. For example, English Wikipedia doesn't have to create <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>en-ca</code></bdi> and <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>en-gb</code></bdi> subpages with a transclusion of the base pages anymore. This makes it easier to maintain local overrides. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T229992]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>action=growthsetmentorstatus</code></bdi> API will be deprecated with the new MediaWiki version. Bots or scripts calling that API should use the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>action=growthmanagementorlist</code></bdi> API now. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T321503]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/29|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W29"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:08, 17 July 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-30 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W30"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/30|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] On July 18, the Wikimedia Foundation launched a survey about the [[:mw:Technical_decision_making|technical decision making process]] for people who do technical work that relies on software that is maintained by the Foundation or affiliates. If this applies to you, [https://wikimediafoundation.limesurvey.net/885471 please take part in the survey]. The survey will be open for three weeks, until August 7. You can find more information in [[listarchive:list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/Q7DUCFA75DXG3G2KHTO7CEWMLCYTSDB2/|the announcement e-mail on wikitech-l]].
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.19|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-07-25|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-07-26|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-07-27|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/30|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W30"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 02:20, 25 July 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-31 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W31"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/31|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The [[mw:Synchronizer|Synchronizer]] tool is now available to keep Lua modules synced across Wikimedia wikis, along with [[mw:Multilingual Templates and Modules|updated documentation]] to develop global Lua modules and templates.
* The tag filter on [[{{#special:NewPages}}]] and revision history pages can now be inverted. For example, you can hide edits that were made using an automated tool. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T334337][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T334338]
* The Wikipedia [[:w:en:ChatGPT|ChatGPT]] plugin experiment can now be used by ChatGPT users who can use plugins. You can participate in a [[:m:Talk:Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2023-2024/Draft/Future Audiences#Announcing monthly Future Audiences open "office hours"|video call]] if you want to talk about this experiment or similar work. [https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Annual_Plan/2023-2024/Draft/Future_Audiences#FA2.2_Conversational_AI]
'''Problems'''
* It was not possible to generate a PDF for pages with non-Latin characters in the title, for the last two weeks. This has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T342442]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.20|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-08-01|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-08-02|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-08-03|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* Starting on Tuesday, a new set of Wikipedias will get "[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Tools/Add a link|Add a link]]" ({{int:project-localized-name-kawiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-kaawiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-kabwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-kbdwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-kbpwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-kiwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-kkwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-kmwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-knwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-kswiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-kshwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-kuwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-kwwiki/en}}). This is part of the [[phab:T304110|progressive deployment of this tool to more Wikipedias]]. The communities can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Community configuration|configure how this feature works locally]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T308135]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/31|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W31"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:54, 31 July 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-32 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W32"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/32|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Mobile Web editors can now [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Advanced_mobile_contributions#August_1,_2023_-_Full-page_editing_added_on_mobile|edit a whole page at once]]. To use this feature, turn on "{{int:Mobile-frontend-mobile-option-amc}}" in your settings and use the "{{int:Minerva-page-actions-editfull}}" button in the "{{int:Minerva-page-actions-overflow}}" menu. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T203151]
'''Changes later this week'''
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/32|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W32"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 21:20, 7 August 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-33 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W33"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/33|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The Content translation system is no longer using Youdao's [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Content_translation/Translating/Initial_machine_translation|machine translation service]]. The service was in place for several years, but due to no usage, and availability of alternatives, it was deprecated to reduce maintenance overheads. Other services which cover the same languages are still available. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T329137]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.22|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-08-15|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-08-16|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-08-17|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* Starting on Wednesday, a new set of Wikipedias will get "[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Tools/Add a link|Add a link]]" ({{int:project-localized-name-lawiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-ladwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-lbwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-lbewiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-lezwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-lfnwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-lgwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-liwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-lijwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-lmowiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-lnwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-ltgwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-lvwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-maiwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-map_bmswiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-mdfwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-mgwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-hywiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-kywiki/en}}). This is part of the [[phab:T304110|progressive deployment of this tool to more Wikipedias]]. The communities can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Community configuration|configure how this feature works locally]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T308136] <!-- TODO replace wiki codes -->
'''Future changes'''
* A few gadgets/user scripts which add icons to the Minerva skin need to have their CSS updated. There are more details available including a [[phab:T344067|search for all existing instances and how to update them]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/33|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W33"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 05:59, 15 August 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-34 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W34"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/34|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The [https://gdrive-to-commons.toolforge.org/ GDrive to Commons Uploader] tool is now available. It enables [[m:Special:MyLanguage/GDrive to Commons Uploader|securely selecting and uploading files]] from your Google Drive directly to Wikimedia Commons. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T267868]
* From now on, we will announce new Wikimedia wikis in Tech News, so you can update any tools or pages.
** Since the last edition, two new wikis have been created:
*** a Wiktionary in [[d:Q7121294|Pa'O]] ([[wikt:blk:|<code>wikt:blk:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T343540]
*** a Wikisource in [[d:Q34002|Sundanese]] ([[s:su:|<code>s:su:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T343539]
** To catch up, the next most recent six wikis are:
*** Wikifunctions ([[f:|<code>f:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T275945]
*** a Wiktionary in [[d:Q2891049|Mandailing]] ([[wikt:btm:|<code>wikt:btm:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T335216]
*** a Wikipedia in [[d:Q5555465|Ghanaian Pidgin]] ([[w:gpe:|<code>w:gpe:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T335969]
*** a Wikinews in [[d:Q3111668|Gungbe]] ([[n:guw:|<code>n:guw:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T334394]
*** a Wiktionary in [[d:Q33522|Kabardian]] ([[wikt:kbd:|<code>wikt:kbd:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T333266]
*** a Wikipedia in [[d:Q35570|Fante]] ([[w:fat:|<code>w:fat:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T335016]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.23|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-08-22|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-08-23|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-08-24|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] There is an existing [[mw:Stable interface policy|stable interface policy]] for MediaWiki backend code. There is a [[mw:User:Jdlrobson/Stable interface policy/frontend|proposed stable interface policy for frontend code]]. This is relevant for anyone who works on gadgets or Wikimedia frontend code. You can read it, discuss it, and let the proposer know if there are any problems. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T344079]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/34|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W34"/>
15:25, 21 August 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-35 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W35"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/35|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Wishlist item]] As part of the changes for the [[m:Community Wishlist Survey 2022/Better diff handling of paragraph splits|better diff handling of paragraph splits]], improved detection of splits is being rolled out. Over the last two weeks, we deployed this support to [[wikitech:Deployments/Train#Groups|group0]] and group1 wikis. This week it will be deployed to group2 wikis. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T341754]
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Wishlist item]] All [[{{#special:Contributions}}]] pages now show the user's local edit count and the account's creation date. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T324166]
* Wikisource users can now use the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>prpbengalicurrency</code></bdi> label to denote Bengali currency characters as page numbers inside the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki><pagelist></nowiki></code></bdi> tag. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T268932]
* Two preferences have been relocated. The preference "{{int:visualeditor-preference-visualeditor}}" is now shown on the [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-editing|"{{int:prefs-editing}}" tab]] at all wikis. Previously it was shown on the "{{int:prefs-betafeatures}}" tab at some wikis. The preference "{{int:visualeditor-preference-newwikitexteditor-enable}}" is now also shown on the "{{int:prefs-editing}}" tab at all wikis, instead of the "{{int:prefs-betafeatures}}" tab. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T335056][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T344158]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.24|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-08-29|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-08-30|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-08-31|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] New signups for a Wikimedia developer account will start being pushed towards <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[https://idm.wikimedia.org/ idm.wikimedia.org]</bdi>, rather than going via Wikitech. [[wikitech:IDM|Further information about the new system is available]].
* All right-to-left language wikis, plus Korean, Armenian, Ukrainian, Russian, and Bulgarian Wikipedias, will have a link in the sidebar that provides a short URL of that page, using the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia URL Shortener|Wikimedia URL Shortener]]. This feature will come to more wikis in future weeks. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T267921]
'''Future changes'''
* The removal of the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:DoubleWiki|DoubleWiki extension]] is being discussed. This extension currently allows Wikisource users to view articles from multiple language versions side by side when the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><=></code></bdi> symbol next to a specific language edition is selected. Comments on this are welcomed at [[phab:T344544|the phabricator task]].
* A proposal has been made to merge the second hidden-categories list (which appears below the wikitext editing form) with the main list of categories (which is further down the page). [[phab:T340606|More information is available on Phabricator]]; feedback is welcome!
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/35|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W35"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 14:00, 28 August 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-36 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W36"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/36|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[m:Wikisource_EditInSequence|EditInSequence]], a feature that allows users to edit pages faster on Wikisource has been moved to a Beta Feature based on community feedback. To enable it, you can navigate to the [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-betafeatures|beta features tab in Preferences]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T308098]
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Wishlist item]] As part of the changes for the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey 2022/Generate Audio for IPA|Generate Audio for IPA]] and [[m:Community Wishlist Survey 2022/Multimedia and Commons/Audio links that play on click|Audio links that play on click]] wishlist proposals, the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Phonos#Inline_audio_player_mode|inline audio player mode]] of [[mw:Extension:Phonos|Phonos]] has been deployed to all projects. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T336763]
* There is a new option for Administrators when they are changing the usergroups for a user, to add the user’s user page to their watchlist. This works both via [[{{#special:UserRights}}]] and via the API. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T272294]
* One new wiki has been created:
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikipedia}} in [[d:Q34318|Talysh]] ([[w:tly:|<code>w:tly:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T345166]
'''Problems'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:LoginNotify|LoginNotify extension]] was not sending notifications since January. It has now been fixed, so going forward, you may see notifications for failed login attempts, and successful login attempts from a new device. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T344785]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.25|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-09-05|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-09-06|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-09-07|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* Starting on Wednesday, a new set of Wikipedias will get "[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Tools/Add a link|Add a link]]" ({{int:project-localized-name-mhrwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-miwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-minwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-mkwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-mlwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-mnwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-mrwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-mrjwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-mswiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-mtwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-mwlwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-myvwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-mznwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-nahwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-napwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-ndswiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-nds_nlwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-newiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-newwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-nnwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-novwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-nqowiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-nrmwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-nsowiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-nvwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-nywiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-ocwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-olowiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-omwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-orwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-oswiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-pawiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-pagwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-pamwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-papwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-pcdwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-pdcwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-pflwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-pihwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-pmswiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-pnbwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-pntwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-pswiki/en}}). This is part of the [[phab:T304110|progressive deployment of this tool to more Wikipedias]]. The communities can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Community configuration|configure how this feature works locally]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T308137][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T308138]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/36|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W36"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:33, 4 September 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-37 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W37"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/37|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/ORES|ORES]], the revision evaluation service, is now using a new open-source infrastructure on all wikis except for English Wikipedia and Wikidata. These two will follow this week. If you notice any unusual results from the Recent Changes filters that are related to ORES (for example, "{{int:ores-rcfilters-damaging-title}}" and "{{int:ores-rcfilters-goodfaith-title}}"), please [[mw:Talk:Machine Learning|report them]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T342115]
* When you are logged in on one Wikimedia wiki and visit a different Wikimedia wiki, the system tries to log you in there automatically. This has been unreliable for a long time. You can now visit the login page to make the system try extra hard. If you feel that made logging in better or worse than it used to be, your feedback is appreciated. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T326281]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.26|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-09-12|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-09-13|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-09-14|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Technical decision making|Technical Decision-Making Forum Retrospective]] team invites anyone involved in the technical field of Wikimedia projects to signup to and join [[mw:Technical decision making/Listening Sessions|one of their listening sessions]] on 13 September. Another date will be scheduled later. The goal is to improve the technical decision-making processes.
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Wishlist item]] As part of the changes for the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey 2022/Better diff handling of paragraph splits|Better diff handling of paragraph splits]] wishlist proposal, the inline switch widget in diff pages is being rolled out this week to all wikis. The inline switch will allow viewers to toggle between a unified inline or two-column diff wikitext format. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T336716]
'''Future changes'''
* All wikis will be read-only for a few minutes on 20 September. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/Server switch|This is planned at 14:00 UTC.]] More information will be published in Tech News and will also be posted on individual wikis in the coming weeks. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T345263]
* The Enterprise API is launching a new feature called "[http://breakingnews-beta.enterprise.wikimedia.com/ breaking news]". Currently in BETA, this attempts to identify likely "newsworthy" topics as they are currently being written about in any Wikipedia. Your help is requested to improve the accuracy of its detection model, especially on smaller language editions, by recommending templates or identifiable editing patterns. See more information at [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Enterprise/Breaking news|the documentation page]] on MediaWiki or [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Enterprise/FAQ#What is Breaking News|the FAQ]] on Meta.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/37|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W37"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 21:07, 11 September 2023 (UTC)
<!-- Message sent by User:Quiddity (WMF)@metawiki using the list at https://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Global_message_delivery/Targets/Tech_ambassadors&oldid=25589064 -->
== Tech News: 2023-38 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W38"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/38|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] MediaWiki now has a [[mw:Stable interface policy/frontend|stable interface policy for frontend code]] that more clearly defines how we deprecate MediaWiki code and wiki-based code (e.g. gadgets and user scripts). Thank you to everyone who contributed to the content and discussions. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T346467][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T344079]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.27|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-09-19|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-09-20|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-09-21|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* All wikis will be read-only for a few minutes on September 20. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/Server switch|This is planned at 14:00 UTC.]] [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T345263]
* All wikis will have a link in the sidebar that provides a short URL of that page, using the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia URL Shortener|Wikimedia URL Shortener]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T267921]
'''Future changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The team investigating the Graph Extension posted [[mw:Extension:Graph/Plans#Proposal|a proposal for reenabling it]] and they need your input.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/38|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W38"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 19:19, 18 September 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-39 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W39"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/39|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The Vector 2022 skin will now remember the pinned/unpinned status for the Table of Contents for all logged-out users. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T316060]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.28|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-09-26|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-09-27|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-09-28|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The ResourceLoader <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>mediawiki.ui</nowiki></code></bdi> modules are now deprecated as part of the move to Vue.js and Codex. There is a [[mw:Codex/Migrating_from_MediaWiki_UI|guide for migrating from MediaWiki UI to Codex]] for any tools that use it. More [[phab:T346468|details are available in the task]] and your questions are welcome there.
* Gadget definitions will have a [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Gadgets#Options|new "namespaces" option]]. The option takes a list of namespace IDs. Gadgets that use this option will only load on pages in the given namespaces.
'''Future changes'''
* New variables will be added to [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:AbuseFilter|AbuseFilter]]: <code><bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr">global_account_groups</bdi></code> and <code><bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr">global_account_editcount</bdi></code>. They are available only when an account is being created. You can use them to prevent blocking automatic creation of accounts when users with many edits elsewhere visit your wiki for the first time. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T345632][https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Extension:AbuseFilter/Rules_format]
'''Meetings'''
* You can join the next meeting with the Wikipedia mobile apps teams. During the meeting, we will discuss the current features and future roadmap. The meeting will be on [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1698426015 27 October at 17:00 (UTC)]. See [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Apps/Office_Hours#October_2023|details and how to join]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/39|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W39"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 16:51, 26 September 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-40 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W40"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/40|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* There is a new [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-rendering-advancedrendering|user preference]] for "{{int:tog-forcesafemode}}". This setting will make pages load without including any on-wiki JavaScript or on-wiki stylesheet pages. It can be useful for debugging broken JavaScript gadgets. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T342347]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Gadget definitions now have a [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Gadgets#Options|new "<var>contentModels</var>" option]]. The option takes a list of page content models, like <code><bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr">wikitext</bdi></code> or <code><bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr">css</bdi></code>. Gadgets that use this option will only load on pages with the given content models.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.29|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-10-03|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-10-04|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-10-05|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The Vector 2022 skin will no longer use the custom styles and scripts of Vector legacy (2010). The change will be made later this year or in early 2024. See [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements/Features/Loading Vector 2010 scripts|how to adjust the CSS and JS pages on your wiki]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T331679]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/40|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W40"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 01:26, 3 October 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-41 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W41"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/41|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* One new wiki has been created: a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikipedia}} in [[d:Q33291|Fon]] ([[w:fon:|<code>w:fon:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T347935]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/wmf.30|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-10-10|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-10-11|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-10-12|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* Starting on Wednesday, a new set of Wikipedias will get "[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Tools/Add a link|Add a link]]" ({{int:project-localized-name-swwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-wawiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-warwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-wowiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-xalwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-xhwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-xmfwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-yiwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-yowiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-zawiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-zeawiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-zh_min_nanwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-zuwiki/en}}). This is part of the [[phab:T304110|progressive deployment of this tool to more Wikipedias]]. The communities can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Community configuration|configure how this feature works locally]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T308139]
* At some wikis, newcomers are suggested images from Commons to add to articles without any images. Starting on Tuesday, newcomers at these wikis will be able to add images to unillustrated article sections. The specific wikis are listed under "Images recommendations" [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Deployment table|at the Growth team deployment table]]. You can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Tools/Add an image|learn more about this feature.]] [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T345940]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] In the mobile web skin (Minerva) the CSS ID <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>#page-actions</nowiki></code></bdi> will be replaced with <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>#p-views</nowiki></code></bdi>. This change is to make it consistent with other skins and to improve support for gadgets and extensions in the mobile skin. A few gadgets may need to be updated; there are [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T348267 details and search-links in the task].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/41|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W41"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 14:39, 9 October 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-42 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W42"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/42|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Unified login|Unified login]] system's edge login should now be fixed for some browsers (Chrome, Edge, Opera). This means that if you visit a new sister project wiki, you should be logged in automatically without the need to click "Log in" or reload the page. Feedback on whether it's working for you is welcome. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T347889]
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Interface/Edit_notice|Edit notices]] are now available within the MobileFrontend/Minerva skin. This feature was inspired by [[w:en:Wikipedia:EditNoticesOnMobile|the gadget on English Wikipedia]]. See more details in [[phab:T316178|T316178]].
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/wmf.1|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-10-17|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-10-18|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-10-19|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.41/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* In 3 weeks, in the Vector 2022 skin, code related to <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>addPortletLink</nowiki></code></bdi> and <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>#p-namespaces</nowiki></code></bdi> that was deprecated one year ago will be removed. If you notice tools that should appear next to the "Discussion" tab are then missing, please tell the gadget's maintainers to see [[phab:T347907|instructions in the Phabricator task]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/42|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W42"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:47, 16 October 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-43 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W43"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/43|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* There is a new [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Language engineering/Newsletter/2023/October|Language and internationalization newsletter]], written quarterly. It contains updates on new feature development, improvements in various language-related technical projects, and related support work.
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Source map support has been enabled on all wikis. When you open the debugger in your browser's developer tools, you should be able to see the unminified JavaScript source code. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T47514]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/wmf.2|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-10-24|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-10-25|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-10-26|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/43|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W43"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:16, 23 October 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-44 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W44"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/44|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The Structured Content team, as part of its project of [[:commons:Commons:WMF support for Commons/Upload Wizard Improvements|improving UploadWizard on Commons]], made some UX improvements to the upload step of choosing own vs not own work ([[phab:T347590|T347590]]), as well as to the licensing step for own work ([[phab:T347756|T347756]]).
* The Design Systems team has released version 1.0.0 of [[wmdoc:codex/latest/|Codex]], the new design system for Wikimedia. See the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Design_Systems_Team/Announcing_Codex_1.0|full announcement about the release of Codex 1.0.0]].
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/wmf.3|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-10-31|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-11-01|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-11-02|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* Listings on category pages are sorted on each wiki for that language using a [[:w:en:International Components for Unicode|library]]. For a brief period on 2 November, changes to categories will not be sorted correctly for many languages. This is because the developers are upgrading to a new version of the library. They will then use a script to fix the existing categories. This will take a few hours or a few days depending on how big the wiki is. You can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Technical Operations/ICU announcement|read more]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T345561][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T267145]
* Starting November 1, the impact module (Special:Impact) will be upgraded by the Growth team. The new impact module shows newcomers more data regarding their impact on the wiki. It was tested by a few wikis during the last few months. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T336203]
'''Future changes'''
* There is [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Graph/Plans#Roadmap|a proposed plan]] for re-enabling the Graph Extension. You can help by reviewing this proposal and [[mw:Extension_talk:Graph/Plans#c-PPelberg_(WMF)-20231020221600-Update:_20_October|sharing what you think about it]].
* The WMF is working on making it possible for administrators to [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Community_configuration_2.0|edit MediaWiki configuration directly]]. This is similar to previous work on Special:EditGrowthConfig. [[phab:T349757|A technical RfC is running until November 08, where you can provide feedback.]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/44|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W44"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:21, 30 October 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-45 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W45"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/45|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* In the Vector 2022 skin, the default font-size of a number of navigational elements (tagline, tools menu, navigational links, and more) has been increased slightly to match the font size used in page content. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T346062]
'''Problems'''
* Last week, there was a problem displaying some recent edits on [https://noc.wikimedia.org/conf/highlight.php?file=dblists/s5.dblist a few wikis], for 1-6 hours. The edits were saved but not immediately shown. This was due to a database problem. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T350443]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/wmf.4|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-11-07|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-11-08|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-11-09|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/Roadmap|calendar]]).
* The Growth team will reassign newcomers from former mentors to [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Structured mentor list|the currently active mentors]]. They have also changed the notification language to be more user-friendly. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T330071][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T327493]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/45|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W45"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 21:05, 6 November 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-46 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W46"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/46|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Four new wikis have been created:
** a Wikipedia in [[d:Q7598268|Moroccan Amazigh]] ([[w:zgh:|<code>w:zgh:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T350216]
** a Wikipedia in [[d:Q35159|Dagaare]] ([[w:dga:|<code>w:dga:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T350218]
** a Wikipedia in [[d:Q33017|Toba Batak]] ([[w:bbc:|<code>w:bbc:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T350320]
** a Wikiquote in [[d:Q33151|Banjar]] ([[q:bjn:|<code>q:bjn:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T350217]
'''Problems'''
* Last week, users who previously visited Meta-Wiki or Wikimedia Commons and then became logged out on those wikis could not log in again. The problem is now resolved. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T350695]
* Last week, some pop-up dialogs and menus were shown with the wrong font size. The problem is now resolved. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T350544]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/wmf.5|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-11-14|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-11-15|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-11-16|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/Roadmap|calendar]]).
'''Future changes'''
* Reference Previews are coming to many wikis as a default feature. They are popups for references, similar to the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Page Previews|PagePreviews feature]]. [[m:WMDE Technical Wishes/ReferencePreviews#Opt-out feature|You can opt out]] of seeing them. If you are [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-gadgets|using the gadgets]] Reference Tooltips or Navigation Popups, you won’t see Reference Previews. [[phab:T282999|Deployment]] is planned for November 22, 2023.
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Canary (also known as heartbeat) events will be produced into [https://stream.wikimedia.org/?doc#/streams Wikimedia event streams] from December 11. Streams users are advised to filter out these events, by discarding all events where <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>meta.domain == "canary"</nowiki></code></bdi>. Updates to [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Pywikibot|Pywikibot]] or [https://github.com/ChlodAlejandro/wikimedia-streams wikimedia-streams] will discard these events by default. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T266798]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/46|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W46"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:52, 13 November 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-47 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W47"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/47|Translations]] are available.
'''Changes later this week'''
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week. [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
* Starting on Wednesday, a new set of Wikipedias will get "[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Tools/Add a link|Add a link]]" ({{int:project-localized-name-quwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-rmwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-rmywiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-rnwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-roa_rupwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-roa_tarawiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-ruewiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-rwwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-sawiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-sahwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-satwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-scwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-scnwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-scowiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-sdwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-sewiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-sgwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-shwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-siwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-skwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-slwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-smwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-sowiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-sqwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-srwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-srnwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-sswiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-stwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-stqwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-suwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-szlwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-tawiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-tcywiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-tewiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-tetwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-tgwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-thwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-tkwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-tlwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-tnwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-towiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-tpiwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-trwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-tswiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-ttwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-twwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-tywiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-tyvwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-udmwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-ugwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-uzwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-vewiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-vecwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-vepwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-vlswiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-vowiki/en}}). This is part of the [[phab:T304110|progressive deployment of this tool to more Wikipedias]]. The communities can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Community configuration|configure how this feature works locally]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T308141][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T308142][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T308143]
* The Vector 2022 skin will have some minor visual changes to drop-down menus, column widths, and more. These changes were added to four Wikipedias last week. If no issues are found, these changes will proceed to all wikis this week. These changes will make it possible to add new menus for readability and dark mode. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop_Improvements/Updates#November_2023:_Visual_changes,_more_deployments,_and_shifting_focus|Learn more]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T347711]
'''Future changes'''
* There is [[mw:Extension talk:Graph/Plans#Update: 15 November|an update on re-enabling the Graph Extension]]. To speed up the process, Vega 2 will not be supported and only [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T335325 some protocols] will be available at launch. You can help by sharing what you think about the plan.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/47|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W47"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:55, 21 November 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-48 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W48"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/48|Translations]] are available.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/wmf.7|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-11-28|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-11-29|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-11-30|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/Roadmap|calendar]]). There is no new MediaWiki version next week. [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] MediaWiki's JavaScript system will now allow <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>async</code>/<code>await</code></bdi> syntax in gadgets and user scripts. Gadget authors should remember that users' browsers may not support it, so it should be used appropriately. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T343499]
* The deployment of "[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Tools/Add_a_link|Add a link]]" announced [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/47|last week]] was postponed. It will resume this week.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/48|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W48"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:08, 27 November 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2023-49 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W49"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/49|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The spacing between paragraphs on Vector 2022 has been changed from 7px to 14px to match the size of the text. This will make it easier to distinguish paragraphs from sentences. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T351754]
* The "{{int:Visualeditor-dialog-meta-categories-defaultsort-label}}" feature in VisualEditor is working again. You no longer need to switch to source editing to edit <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>{{DEFAULTSORT:...}}</nowiki></code></bdi> keywords. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T337398]
'''Changes later this week'''
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week. [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
* On 6 December, people who have the enabled the preference for "{{int:Discussiontools-preference-visualenhancements}}" will notice the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project/Usability|talk page usability improvements]] appear on pages that include the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>__NEWSECTIONLINK__</nowiki></code></bdi> magic word. If you notice any issues, please [[phab:T352232|share them with the team on Phabricator]].
'''Future changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The Toolforge [[wikitech:News/Toolforge Grid Engine deprecation|Grid Engine shutdown process]] will start on December 14. Maintainers of [[toolforge:grid-deprecation|tools that still use this old system]] should plan to migrate to Kubernetes, or tell the team your plans on Phabricator in the task about your tool, before that date. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/VIWWQKMSQO2ED3TVUR7KPPWRTOBYBVOA/]
* Communities using [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Structured_Discussions|Structured Discussions]] are being contacted regarding [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Structured_Discussions/Deprecation|the upcoming deprecation of Structured Discussions]]. You can read more about this project, and share your comments, [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Structured_Discussions/Deprecation|on the project's page]].
'''Events'''
* Registration & Scholarship applications are now open for the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Hackathon 2024|Wikimedia Hackathon 2024]] that will take place from 3–5 May in Tallinn, Estonia. Scholarship applications are open until 5 January 2024.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/49|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W49"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:50, 4 December 2023 (UTC)
<!-- Message sent by User:Quiddity (WMF)@metawiki using the list at https://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Global_message_delivery/Targets/Tech_ambassadors&oldid=25914435 -->
== Tech News: 2023-50 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W50"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/50|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* On Wikimedia Commons, there are some minor user-interface improvements for the "choosing own vs not own work" step in the UploadWizard. This is part of the Structured Content team's project of [[:commons:Commons:WMF support for Commons/Upload Wizard Improvements|improving UploadWizard on Commons]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T352707][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T352709]
'''Problems'''
* There was a problem showing the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Personalized first day/Newcomer homepage|Newcomer homepage]] feature with the "impact module" and their page-view graphs, for a few days in early December. This has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T352352][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T352349]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/wmf.9|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-12-12|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-12-13|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-12-14|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
'''Future changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=]] The [https://wikimediafoundation.limesurvey.net/796964 2023 Developer Satisfaction Survey] is seeking the opinions of the Wikimedia developer community. Please take the survey if you have any role in developing software for the Wikimedia ecosystem. The survey is open until 5 January 2024, and has an associated [[foundation:Legal:December_2023_Developer_Satisfaction_Survey|privacy statement]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/50|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W50"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 02:12, 12 December 2023 (UTC)
<!-- Message sent by User:Quiddity (WMF)@metawiki using the list at https://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Global_message_delivery/Targets/Tech_ambassadors&oldid=25945501 -->
== Tech News: 2023-51 ==
<section begin="technews-2023-W51"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/51|Translations]] are available.
'''Tech News'''
* The next issue of Tech News will be sent out on 8 January 2024 because of [[w:en:Christmas and holiday season|the holidays]].
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/wmf.10|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2023-12-19|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2023-12-20|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2023-12-21|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/Roadmap|calendar]]). There is no new MediaWiki version next week. [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
* Starting December 18, it won't be possible to activate Structured Discussions on a user's own talk page using the Beta feature. The Beta feature option remains available for users who want to deactivate Structured Discussions. This is part of [[mw:Structured Discussions/Deprecation|Structured Discussions' deprecation work]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T248309]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] There will be full support for redirects in the Module namespace. The "Move Page" feature will leave an appropriate redirect behind, and such redirects will be appropriately recognized by the software (e.g. hidden from [[{{#special:UnconnectedPages}}]]). There will also be support for [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Scribunto/Lua reference manual#Renaming or moving modules|manual redirects]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T120794]
'''Future changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The MediaWiki JavaScript documentation is moving to a new format. During the move, you can read the old docs using [https://doc.wikimedia.org/mediawiki-core/REL1_41/js/ version 1.41]. Feedback about [https://doc.wikimedia.org/mediawiki-core/master/js/ the new site] is welcome on the [[mw:Talk:JSDoc_WMF_theme|project talk page]].
* The Wishathon is a new initiative that encourages collaboration across the Wikimedia community to develop solutions for wishes collected through the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey|Community Wishlist Survey]]. The first community Wishathon will take place from 15–17 March. If you are interested in a project proposal as a user, developer, designer, or product lead, you can [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Event:WishathonMarch2024|register for the event and read more]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2023/51|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2023-W51"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 16:17, 18 December 2023 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-02 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W02"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/02|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [https://mediawiki2latex.wmflabs.org/ mediawiki2latex] is a tool that converts wiki content into the formats of LaTeX, PDF, ODT, and EPUB. The code now runs many times faster due to recent improvements. There is also an optional Docker container you can [[b:de:Benutzer:Dirk_Hünniger/wb2pdf/install#Using_Docker|install]] on your local machine.
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The way that Random pages are selected has been updated. This will slowly reduce the problem of some pages having a lower chance of appearing. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T309477]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/wmf.13|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-01-09|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-01-10|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-01-11|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/02|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W02"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 01:19, 9 January 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-03 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W03"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/03|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Pages that use the JSON [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:ContentHandler|contentmodel]] will now use tabs instead of spaces for auto-indentation. This will significantly reduce the page size. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T326065]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Gadgets|Gadgets]] and personal user scripts may now use JavaScript syntax introduced in ES6 (also known as "ES2015") and ES7 ("ES2016"). MediaWiki validates the source code to protect other site functionality from syntax errors, and to ensure scripts are valid in all [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Compatibility#Browsers|supported browsers]]. Previously, Gadgets could use the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>requiresES6</nowiki></code></bdi> option. This option is no longer needed and will be removed in the future. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T75714]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Bot passwords|Bot passwords]] and [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/OAuth/Owner-only consumers|owner-only OAuth consumers]] can now be restricted to allow editing only specific pages. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T349957]
* You can now [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Thanks|thank]] edits made by bots. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T341388]
* An update on the status of the Community Wishlist Survey for 2024 [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey/Future Of The Wishlist/January 4, 2024 Update|has been published]]. Please read and give your feedback.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/wmf.14|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-01-16|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-01-17|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-01-18|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
* Starting on January 17, it will not be possible to login to Wikimedia wikis from some specific old versions of the Chrome browser (versions 51–66, released between 2016 and 2018). Additionally, users of iOS 12, or Safari on Mac OS 10.14, may need to login to each wiki separately. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T344791]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>jquery.cookie</code></bdi> module was deprecated and replaced with the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>mediawiki.cookie</code></bdi> module last year. A script has now been run to replace any remaining uses, and this week the temporary alias will be removed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T354966]
'''Future changes'''
* Wikimedia Deutschland is working to [[m:WMDE Technical Wishes/Reusing references|make reusing references easier]]. They are looking for people who are interested in participating in [https://wikimedia.sslsurvey.de/User-research-into-Reusing-References-Sign-up-Form-2024/en/ individual video calls for user research in January and February].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/03|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W03"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:13, 16 January 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-04 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W04"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/04|Translations]] are available.
'''Problems'''
* A bug in UploadWizard prevented linking to the userpage of the uploader when uploading. It has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T354529]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/wmf.15|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-01-23|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-01-24|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-01-25|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/04|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W04"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 01:03, 23 January 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-05 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W05"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/05|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Starting Monday January 29, all talk pages messages' timestamps will become a link. This link is a permanent link to the comment. It allows users to find the comment they are looking for, even if this comment was moved elsewhere. This will affect all wikis except for the English Wikipedia. You can read more about this change [https://diff.wikimedia.org/2024/01/29/talk-page-permalinks-dont-lose-your-threads/ on Diff] or [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools#Talk_pages_permalinking|on Mediawiki.org]].<!-- The Diff post will be published on Monday morning UTC--> [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T302011]
* There are some improvements to the CAPTCHA to make it harder for spam bots and scripts to bypass it. If you have feedback on this change, please comment on [[phab:T141490|the task]]. Staff are monitoring metrics related to the CAPTCHA, as well as secondary metrics such as account creations and edit counts.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/wmf.16|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-01-30|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-01-31|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-02-01|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Wishlist item]] On February 1, a link will be added to the "Tools" menu to download a [[w:en:QR code|QR code]] that links to the page you are viewing. There will also be a new [[{{#special:QrCode}}]] page to create QR codes for any Wikimedia URL. This addresses the [[m:Community Wishlist Survey 2023/Mobile and apps/Add ability to share QR code for a page in any Wikimedia project|#19 most-voted wish]] from the [[m:Community Wishlist Survey 2023/Results|2023 Community Wishlist Survey]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T329973]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Gadgets|Gadgets]] which only work in some skins have sometimes used the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>targets</code></bdi> option to limit where you can use them. This will stop working this week. You should use the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>skins</code></bdi> option instead. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T328497]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/05|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W05"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 19:31, 29 January 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-06 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W06"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/06|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
*The mobile site history pages now use the same HTML as the desktop history pages. If you hear of any problems relating to mobile history usage please point them to [[phab:T353388|the phabricator task]].
*On most wikis, admins can now block users from making specific actions. These actions are: uploading files, creating new pages, moving (renaming) pages, and sending thanks. The goal of this feature is to allow admins to apply blocks that are adequate to the blocked users' activity. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community health initiative/Partial blocks#action-blocks|Learn more about "action blocks"]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T242541][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T280531]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/wmf.17|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-02-06|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-02-07|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-02-08|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
* Talk pages permalinks that included diacritics and non-Latin script were malfunctioning. This issue is fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T356199]
'''Future changes'''
* [[m:WMDE Technical Wishes/ReferencePreviews#24WPs|24 Wikipedias]] with [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reference_Tooltips|Reference Tooltips]] as a default gadget are encouraged to remove that default flag. This would make [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Reference_Previews|Reference Previews]] the new default for reference popups, leading to a more consistent experience across wikis. For [[m:WMDE Technical Wishes/ReferencePreviews#46WPs|46 Wikipedias]] with less than 4 interface admins, the change is already scheduled for mid-February, [[m:Talk:WMDE Technical Wishes/ReferencePreviews#Reference Previews to become the default for previewing references on more wikis.|unless there are concerns]]. The older Reference Tooltips gadget will still remain usable and will override this feature, if it is available on your wiki and you have enabled it in your settings. [https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WMDE_Technical_Wishes/ReferencePreviews#Reference_Previews_to_become_the_default_for_previewing_references_on_more_wikis][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T355312]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/06|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W06"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 19:22, 5 February 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-07 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W07"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/07|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The [[d:Wikidata:SPARQL query service/WDQS graph split|WDQS Graph Split experiment]] is working and loaded onto 3 test servers. The team in charge is testing the split's impact and requires feedback from WDQS users through the UI or programmatically in different channels. [https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata_talk:SPARQL_query_service/WDQS_graph_split][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T356773][https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/User:Sannita_(WMF)] Users' feedback will validate the impact of various use cases and workflows around the Wikidata Query service. [https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:SPARQL_query_service/WDQS_backend_update/October_2023_scaling_update][https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikidata_Query_Service/User_Manual#Federation]
'''Problems'''
*There was a bug that affected the appearance of visited links when using mobile device to access wiki sites. It made the links appear black; [[phab:T356928|this issue]] is fixed.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/wmf.18|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-02-13|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-02-14|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-02-15|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] As work continues on the grid engine deprecation,[https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/News/Toolforge_Grid_Engine_deprecation] tools on the grid engine will be stopped starting on February 14th, 2024. If you have tools actively migrating you can ask for an extension so they are not stopped. [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Portal:Toolforge/About_Toolforge#Communication_and_support]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/07|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W07"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 05:48, 13 February 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-08 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W08"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/08|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* If you have the "{{int:Tog-enotifwatchlistpages}}" option enabled, edits by bot accounts no longer trigger notification emails. Previously, only minor edits would not trigger the notification emails. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T356984]
* There are changes to how user and site scripts load for [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Skin:Vector/2022| Vector 2022]] on specific wikis. The changes impacted the following Wikis: all projects with [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Skin:Vector|Vector legacy]] as the default skin, Wikivoyage, and Wikibooks. Other wikis will be affected over the course of the next three months. Gadgets are not impacted. If you have been affected or want to minimize the impact on your project, see [[Phab:T357580| this ticket]]. Please coordinate and take action proactively.
*Newly auto-created accounts (the accounts you get when you visit a new wiki) now have the same local notification preferences as users who freshly register on that wiki. It is effected in four notification types listed in the [[phab:T353225|task's description]].
*The maximum file size when using [[c:Special:MyLanguage/Commons:Upload_Wizard|Upload Wizard]] is now 5 GiB. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T191804]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/wmf.19|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-02-20|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-02-21|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-02-22|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Selected tools on the grid engine have been [[wikitech:News/Toolforge_Grid_Engine_deprecation|stopped]] as we prepare to shut down the grid on March 14th, 2024. The tool's code and data have not been deleted. If you are a maintainer and you want your tool re-enabled reach out to the [[wikitech:Portal:Toolforge/About_Toolforge#Communication_and_support|team]]. Only tools that have asked for extension are still running on the grid.
* The CSS <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>[https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/filter filter]</code></bdi> property can now be used in HTML <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>style</code></bdi> attributes in wikitext. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T308160]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/08|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W08"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 15:36, 19 February 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-09 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W09"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/09|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/VisualEditor_on_mobile|mobile visual editor]] is now the default editor for users who never edited before, at a small group of wikis. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/VisualEditor_on_mobile/VE_mobile_default#A/B_test_results| Research ]] shows that users using this editor are slightly more successful publishing the edits they started, and slightly less successful publishing non-reverted edits. Users who defined the wikitext editor as their default on desktop will get the wikitext editor on mobile for their first edit on mobile as well. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T352127]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/ResourceLoader/Core modules#mw.config|mw.config]] value <code>wgGlobalGroups</code> now only contains groups that are active in the wiki. Scripts no longer have to check whether the group is active on the wiki via an API request. A code example of the above is: <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>if (/globalgroupname/.test(mw.config.get("wgGlobalGroups")))</code></bdi>. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T356008]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/wmf.20|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-02-27|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-02-28|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-02-29|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
'''Future changes'''
* The right to change [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Tags|edit tags]] (<bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>changetags</code></bdi>) will be removed from users in Wikimedia sites, keeping it by default for admins and bots only. Your community can ask to retain the old configuration on your wiki before this change happens. Please indicate in [[phab:T355639|this ticket]] to keep it for your community before the end of March 2024.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/09|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W09"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 19:23, 26 February 2024 (UTC)
<!-- Message sent by User:UOzurumba (WMF)@metawiki using the list at https://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Global_message_delivery/Targets/Tech_ambassadors&oldid=26294125 -->
== Tech News: 2024-10 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W10"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/10|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>Special:Book</code></bdi> page (as well as the associated "Create a book" functionality) provided by the old [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Collection|Collection extension]] has been removed from all Wikisource wikis, as it was broken. This does not affect the ability to download normal books, which is provided by the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Wikisource|Wikisource extension]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T358437]
* [[m:Wikitech|Wikitech]] now uses the next-generation [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Parsoid|Parsoid]] wikitext parser by default to generate all pages in the Talk namespace. Report any problems on the [[mw:Talk:Parsoid/Parser_Unification/Known_Issues|Known Issues discussion page]]. You can use the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:ParserMigration|ParserMigration]] extension to control the use of Parsoid; see the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:ParserMigration|ParserMigration help documentation]] for more details.
* Maintenance on [https://etherpad.wikimedia.org etherpad] is completed. If you encounter any issues, please indicate in [[phab:T316421|this ticket]].
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=| Advanced item]] [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Gadgets|Gadgets]] allow interface admins to create custom features with CSS and JavaScript. The <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>Gadget</code></bdi> and <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>Gadget_definition</code></bdi> namespaces and <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>gadgets-definition-edit</code></bdi> user right were reserved for an experiment in 2015, but were never used. These were visible on Special:Search and Special:ListGroupRights. The unused namespaces and user rights are now removed. No pages are moved, and no changes need to be made. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T31272]
* A usability improvement to the "Add a citation" in Wikipedia workflow has been made, the insert button was moved to the popup header. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T354847]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/wmf.21|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-03-05|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-03-06|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-03-07|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
'''Future changes'''
* All wikis will be read-only for a few minutes on March 20. This is planned at 14:00 UTC. More information will be published in Tech News and will also be posted on individual wikis in the coming weeks. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T358233]
* The HTML markup of headings and section edit links will be changed later this year to improve accessibility. See [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Heading_HTML_changes|Heading HTML changes]] for details. The new markup will be the same as in the new Parsoid wikitext parser. You can test your gadget or stylesheet with the new markup if you add <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>?useparsoid=1</code></bdi> to your URL ([[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:ParserMigration#Selecting_a_parser_using_a_URL_query_string|more info]]) or turn on Parsoid read views in your user options ([[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:ParserMigration#Enabling_via_user_preference|more info]]).
*
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/10|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W10"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 19:47, 4 March 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-11 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W11"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/11|Translations]] are available.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/wmf.22|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-03-12|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-03-13|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-03-14|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
* After consulting with various communities, the line height of the text on the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Skin:Minerva Neue|Minerva skin]] will be increased to its previous value of 1.65. Different options for typography can also be set using the options in the menu, as needed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T358498]
*The active link color in [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Skin:Minerva Neue|Minerva]] will be changed to provide more consistency with our other platforms and best practices. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T358516]
* [[c:Special:MyLanguage/Commons:Structured data|Structured data on Commons]] will no longer ask whether you want to leave the page without saving. This will prevent the “information you’ve entered may not be saved” popups from appearing when no information have been entered. It will also make file pages on Commons load faster in certain cases. However, the popups will be hidden even if information has indeed been entered. If you accidentally close the page before saving the structured data you entered, that data will be lost. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T312315]
'''Future changes'''
* All wikis will be read-only for a few minutes on March 20. This is planned at 14:00 UTC. More information will be published in Tech News and will also be posted on individual wikis in the coming weeks. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T358233][https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Tech/Server_switch]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/11|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W11"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:04, 11 March 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-12 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W12"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/12|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The notice "Language links are at the top of the page" that appears in the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Skin:Vector/2022|Vector 2022 skin]] main menu has been removed now that users have learned the new location of the Language switcher. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T353619]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] [[m:Special:MyLanguage/IP_Editing:_Privacy_Enhancement_and_Abuse_Mitigation/IP_Info_feature|IP info feature]] displays data from Spur, an IP addresses database. Previously, the only data source for this feature was MaxMind. Now, IP info is more useful for patrollers. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T341395]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The Toolforge Grid Engine services have been shut down after the final migration process from Grid Engine to Kubernetes. [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Obsolete:Toolforge/Grid][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/News/Toolforge_Grid_Engine_deprecation][https://techblog.wikimedia.org/2022/03/14/toolforge-and-grid-engine/]
* Communities can now customize the default reasons for undeleting a page by creating [[MediaWiki:Undelete-comment-dropdown]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T326746]
'''Problems'''
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/WMDE_Technical_Wishes/RevisionSlider|RevisionSlider]] is an interface to interactively browse a page's history. Users in [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:RevisionSlider/Developing_a_RTL-accessible_feature_in_MediaWiki_-_what_we%27ve_learned_while_creating_the_RevisionSlider|right-to-left]] languages reported RevisionSlider reacting wrong to mouse clicks. This should be fixed now. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T352169]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/wmf.23|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-03-19|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-03-20|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-03-21|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
* All wikis will be read-only for a few minutes on March 20. This is planned at [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1710943200 14:00 UTC]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T358233][https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Tech/Server_switch]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/12|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W12"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 17:39, 18 March 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-13 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W13"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/13|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] An update was made on March 18th 2024 to how various projects load site, user JavaScript and CSS in [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Skin:Vector/2022|Vector 2022 skin]]. A [[phab:T360384|checklist]] is provided for site admins to follow.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/wmf.24|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-03-26|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-03-27|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-03-28|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/13|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W13"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 18:56, 25 March 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-14 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W14"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/14|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Users of the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Accessibility_for_reading|reading accessibility]] beta feature will notice that the default line height for the standard and large text options has changed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T359030]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/wmf.25|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-04-02|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-04-03|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-04-04|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
'''Future changes'''
* The Wikimedia Foundation has an annual plan. The annual plan decides what the Wikimedia Foundation will work on. You can now read [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2024-2025/Product & Technology OKRs#Draft Key Results|the draft key results]] for the Product and Technology department. They are suggestions for what results the Foundation wants from big technical changes from July 2024 to June 2025. You can [[m:Talk:Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2024-2025/Product & Technology OKRs|comment on the talk page]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/14|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W14"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 03:36, 2 April 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-15 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W15"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/15|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Web browsers can use tools called [[:w:en:Browser extension|extensions]]. There is now a Chrome extension called [[m:Future Audiences/Experiment:Citation Needed|Citation Needed]] which you can use to see if an online statement is supported by a Wikipedia article. This is a small experiment to see if Wikipedia can be used this way. Because it is a small experiment, it can only be used in Chrome in English.
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Wishlist item]] A new [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Edit Recovery|Edit Recovery]] feature has been added to all wikis, available as a [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-editing|user preference]]. Once you enable it, your in-progress edits will be stored in your web browser, and if you accidentally close an editing window or your browser or computer crashes, you will be prompted to recover the unpublished text. Please leave any feedback on the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Talk:Community Wishlist Survey 2023/Edit-recovery feature|project talk page]]. This was the #8 wish in the 2023 Community Wishlist Survey.
* Initial results of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Edit check|Edit check]] experiments [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Edit_check#4_April_2024|have been published]]. Edit Check is now deployed as a default feature at [[phab:T342930#9538364|the wikis that tested it]]. [[mw:Talk:Edit check|Let us know]] if you want your wiki to be part of the next deployment of Edit check. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T342930][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T361727]
* Readers using the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Skin:Minerva Neue|Minerva skin]] on mobile will notice there has been an improvement in the line height across all typography settings. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T359029]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/wmf.26|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-04-09|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-04-10|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-04-11|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.42/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
* New accounts and logged-out users will get the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/VisualEditor|visual editor]] as their default editor on mobile. This deployment is made at all wikis except for the English Wikipedia. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T361134]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/15|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W15"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:37, 8 April 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-16 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W16"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/16|Translations]] are available.
'''Problems'''
* Between 2 April and 8 April, on wikis using [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:FlaggedRevs|Flagged Revisions]], the "{{Int:tag-mw-reverted}}" tag was not applied to undone edits. In addition, page moves, protections and imports were not autoreviewed. This problem is now fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T361918][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T361940]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.43/wmf.1|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-04-16|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-04-17|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-04-18|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.43/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Magic words#DEFAULTSORT|Default category sort keys]] will now affect categories added by templates placed in [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Cite|footnotes]]. Previously footnotes used the page title as the default sort key even if a different default sort key was specified (category-specific sort keys already worked). [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T40435]
* A new variable <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>page_last_edit_age</code></bdi> will be added to [[Special:AbuseFilter|abuse filters]]. It tells how many seconds ago the last edit to a page was made. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T269769]
'''Future changes'''
* Volunteer developers are kindly asked to update the code of their tools and features to handle [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts|temporary accounts]]. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts/For developers/2024-04 CTA|Learn more]].
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Four database fields will be removed from database replicas (including [[quarry:|Quarry]]). This affects only the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>abuse_filter</code></bdi> and <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>abuse_filter_history</code></bdi> tables. Some queries might need to be updated. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T361996]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/16|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W16"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:29, 15 April 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-17 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W17"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/17|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Starting this week, newcomers editing Wikipedia [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Positive reinforcement#Leveling up 3|will be encouraged]] to try structured tasks. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Feature summary#Newcomer tasks|Structured tasks]] have been shown to [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Personalized first day/Structured tasks/Add a link/Experiment analysis, December 2021|improve newcomer activation and retention]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T348086]
* You can [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Coolest Tool Award|nominate your favorite tools]] for the fifth edition of the Coolest Tool Award. Nominations will be open until May 10.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.43/wmf.2|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-04-23|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-04-24|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-04-25|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.43/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
'''Future changes'''
* This is the last warning that by the end of May 2024 the Vector 2022 skin will no longer share site and user scripts/styles with old Vector. For user-scripts that you want to keep using on Vector 2022, copy the contents of [[{{#special:MyPage}}/vector.js]] to [[{{#special:MyPage}}/vector-2022.js]]. There are [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements/Features/Loading Vector 2010 scripts|more technical details]] available. Interface administrators who foresee this leading to lots of technical support questions may wish to send a mass message to your community, as was done on French Wikipedia. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T362701]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/17|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W17"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 20:28, 22 April 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-18 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W18"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/18|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
[[File:Talk_pages_default_look_(April_2023).jpg|thumb|alt=Screenshot of the visual improvements made on talk pages|Example of a talk page with the new design, in French.]]
* The appearance of talk pages changed for the following wikis: {{int:project-localized-name-azwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-bnwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-dewiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-fawiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-hewiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-hiwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-idwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-kowiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-nlwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-ptwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-rowiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-thwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-trwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-ukwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-viwiki/en}}. These wikis participated to a test, where 50% of users got the new design, for one year. As this test [[Mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project/Usability/Analysis|gave positive results]], the new design is deployed on these wikis as the default design. It is possible to opt-out these changes [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-editing|in user preferences]] ("{{int:discussiontools-preference-visualenhancements}}"). The deployment will happen at all wikis in the coming weeks. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T341491]
* Seven new wikis have been created:
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikipedia}} in [[d:Q33014|Betawi]] ([[w:bew:|<code>w:bew:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T357866]
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikipedia}} in [[d:Q35708|Kusaal]] ([[w:kus:|<code>w:kus:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T359757]
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikipedia}} in [[d:Q35513|Igala]] ([[w:igl:|<code>w:igl:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T361644]
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wiktionary}} in [[d:Q33541|Karakalpak]] ([[wikt:kaa:|<code>wikt:kaa:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T362135]
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikisource}} in [[d:Q9228|Burmese]] ([[s:my:|<code>s:my:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T361085]
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikisource}} in [[d:Q9237|Malay]] ([[s:ms:|<code>s:ms:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T363039]
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikisource}} in [[d:Q8108|Georgian]] ([[s:ka:|<code>s:ka:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T363085]
* You can now [https://translatewiki.net/wiki/Support#Early_access:_Watch_Message_Groups_on_Translatewiki.net watch message groups/projects] on [[m:Special:MyLanguage/translatewiki.net|Translatewiki.net]]. Initially, this feature will notify you of added or deleted messages in these groups. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T348501]
* Dark mode is now available on all wikis, on mobile web for logged-in users who opt into the [[Special:MobileOptions|advanced mode]]. This is the early release of the feature. Technical editors are invited to [https://night-mode-checker.wmcloud.org/ check for accessibility issues on wikis]. See [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Accessibility for reading/Updates/2024-04|more detailed guidelines]].
'''Problems'''
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Kartographer|Kartographer]] maps can use an alternative visual style without labels, by using <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>mapstyle="osm"</nowiki></code></bdi>. This wasn't working in previews, creating the wrong impression that it wasn't supported. This has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T362531]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.43/wmf.3|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-04-30|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-05-01|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-05-02|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.43/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/18|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W18"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 03:33, 30 April 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-19 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W19"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/19|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
[[File:Talk_pages_default_look_(April_2023).jpg|thumb|alt=Screenshot of the visual improvements made on talk pages|Example of a talk page with the new design, in French.]]
* The appearance of talk pages changed for all wikis, except for Commons, Wikidata and most Wikipedias ([[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/18|a few]] have already received this design change). You can read the detail of the changes [[diffblog:2024/05/02/making-talk-pages-better-for-everyone/|on ''Diff'']]. It is possible to opt-out these changes [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-editing|in user preferences]] ("{{int:discussiontools-preference-visualenhancements}}"). The deployment will happen at remaining wikis in the coming weeks. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T352087][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T319146]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Interface admins now have greater control over the styling of article components on mobile with the introduction of the <code>SiteAdminHelper</code>. More information on how styles can be disabled can be found [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:WikimediaMessages#Site_admin_helper|at the extension's page]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T363932]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Enterprise|Wikimedia Enterprise]] has added article body sections in JSON format and a curated short description field to the existing parsed Infobox. This expansion to the API is also available via Wikimedia Cloud Services. [https://enterprise.wikimedia.com/blog/article-sections-and-description/]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.43/wmf.4|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-05-07|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-05-08|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-05-09|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.43/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
* When you look at the Special:Log page, the first view is labelled "All public logs", but it only shows some logs. This label will now say "Main public logs". [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T237729]
'''Future changes'''
* A new service will be built to replace [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Graph|Extension:Graph]]. Details can be found in [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Graph/Plans|the latest update]] regarding this extension.
* Starting May 21, English Wikipedia and German Wikipedia will get the possibility to activate "[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Tools/Add a link|Add a link]]". This is part of the [[phab:T304110|progressive deployment of this tool to all Wikipedias]]. These communities can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Community configuration|activate and configure the feature locally]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T308144]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/19|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W19"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 16:44, 6 May 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-20 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W20"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/20|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* On Wikisource there is a special page listing pages of works without corresponding scan images. Now you can use the new magic word <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>__EXPECTWITHOUTSCANS__</code></bdi> to exclude certain pages (list of editions or translations of works) from that list. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T344214]
* If you use the [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-editing|user-preference]] "{{int:tog-uselivepreview}}", then the template-page feature "{{int:Templatesandbox-editform-legend}}" will now also work without reloading the page. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T136907]
* [[mw:Special:Mylanguage/Extension:Kartographer|Kartographer]] maps can now specify an alternative text via the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>alt=</nowiki></code></bdi> attribute. This is identical in usage to the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>alt=</nowiki></code></bdi> attribute in the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Images#Syntax|image and gallery syntax]]. An exception for this feature is wikis like Wikivoyage where the miniature maps are interactive. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T328137]
* The old [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:GuidedTour|Guided Tour]] for the "[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Edit Review Improvements/New filters for edit review|New Filters for Edit Review]]" feature has been removed. It was created in 2017 to show people with older accounts how the interface had changed, and has now been seen by most of the intended people. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T217451]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.43/wmf.5|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-05-14|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-05-15|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-05-16|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.43/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The [[{{#special:search}}]] results page will now use CSS flex attributes, for better accessibility, instead of a table. If you have a gadget or script that adjusts search results, you should update your script to the new HTML structure. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T320295]
'''Future changes'''
* In the Vector 2022 skin, main pages will be displayed at full width (like special pages). The goal is to keep the number of characters per line large enough. This is related to the coming changes to typography in Vector 2022. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Accessibility for reading/Updates|Learn more]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T357706]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Two columns of the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:pagelinks table|pagelinks]]</code></bdi> database table (<bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>pl_namespace</code></bdi> and <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>pl_title</code></bdi>) are being dropped soon. Users must use two columns of the new <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>[[mw:special:MyLanguage/Manual:linktarget table|linktarget]]</code></bdi> table instead (<bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>lt_namespace</code></bdi> and <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>lt_title</code></bdi>). In your existing SQL queries:
*# Replace <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>JOIN pagelinks</code></bdi> with <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>JOIN linktarget</code></bdi> and <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>pl_</code></bdi> with <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>lt_</code></bdi> in the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>ON</code></bdi> statement
*# Below that add <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>JOIN pagelinks ON lt_id = pl_target_id</code></bdi>
** See <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[phab:T222224]]</bdi> for technical reasoning. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T222224][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T299947]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/20|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W20"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:58, 13 May 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-21 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W21"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/21|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Nuke|Nuke]] feature, which enables administrators to mass delete pages, will now correctly delete pages which were moved to another title. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T43351]
* New changes have been made to the UploadWizard in Wikimedia Commons: the overall layout has been improved, by following new styling and spacing for the form and its fields; the headers and helper text for each of the fields was changed; the Caption field is now a required field, and there is an option for users to copy their caption into the media description. [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:WMF_support_for_Commons/Upload_Wizard_Improvements#Changes_to_%22Describe%22_workflow][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T361049]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.43/wmf.6|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-05-21|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-05-22|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-05-23|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.43/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The HTML used to render all headings [[mw:Heading_HTML_changes|is being changed to improve accessibility]]. It will change on 22 May in some skins (Timeless, Modern, CologneBlue, Nostalgia, and Monobook). Please test gadgets on your wiki on these skins and [[phab:T13555|report any related problems]] so that they can be resolved before this change is made in all other skins. The developers are also considering the introduction of a [[phab:T337286|Gadget API for adding buttons to section titles]] if that would be helpful to tool creators, and would appreciate any input you have on that.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/21|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W21"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:04, 20 May 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-22 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W22"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/22|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Several bugs related to the latest updates to the UploadWizard on Wikimedia Commons have been fixed. For more information, see [[:phab:T365107|T365107]] and [[:phab:T365119|T365119]].
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] In March 2024 a new [[mw:ResourceLoader/Core_modules#addPortlet|addPortlet]] API was added to allow gadgets to create new portlets (menus) in the skin. In certain skins this can be used to create dropdowns. Gadget developers are invited to try it and [[phab:T361661|give feedback]].
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Some CSS in the Minerva skin has been removed to enable easier community configuration. Interface editors should check the rendering on mobile devices for aspects related to the classes: <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>.collapsible</code></bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>.multicol</code></bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>.reflist</code></bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>.coordinates</code></bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>.topicon</code></bdi>. [[phab:T361659|Further details are available on replacement CSS]] if it is needed.
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.43/wmf.7|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-05-28|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-05-29|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-05-30|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.43/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
* When you visit a wiki where you don't yet have a local account, local rules such as edit filters can sometimes prevent your account from being created. Starting this week, MediaWiki takes your global rights into account when evaluating whether you can override such local rules. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T316303]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/22|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W22"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:15, 28 May 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-23 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W23"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/23|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* It is now possible for local administrators to add new links to the bottom of the site Tools menu without JavaScript. [[mw:Manual:Interface/Sidebar#Add or remove toolbox sections|Documentation is available]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T6086]
* The message name for the definition of the tracking category of WikiHiero has changed from "<bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>MediaWiki:Wikhiero-usage-tracking-category</code></bdi>" to "<bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>MediaWiki:Wikihiero-usage-tracking-category</code></bdi>". [https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/r/c/mediawiki/extensions/wikihiero/+/1035855]
* One new wiki has been created: a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikipedia}} in [[d:Q5317225|Kadazandusun]] ([[w:dtp:|<code>w:dtp:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T365220]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.43/wmf.8|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-06-04|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-06-05|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-06-06|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.43/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
'''Future changes'''
* Next week, on wikis with the Vector 2022 skin as the default, logged-out desktop users will be able to choose between different font sizes. The default font size will also be increased for them. This is to make Wikimedia projects easier to read. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Accessibility for reading/Updates/2024-06 deployments|Learn more]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/23|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W23"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 22:35, 3 June 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-24 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W24"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/24|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* The software used to render SVG files has been updated to a new version, fixing many longstanding bugs in SVG rendering. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T265549]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The HTML used to render all headings [[mw:Heading HTML changes|is being changed to improve accessibility]]. It was changed last week in some skins (Vector legacy and Minerva). Please test gadgets on your wiki on these skins and [[phab:T13555|report any related problems]] so that they can be resolved before this change is made in Vector-2022. The developers are still considering the introduction of a [[phab:T337286|Gadget API for adding buttons to section titles]] if that would be helpful to tool creators, and would appreciate any input you have on that.
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The HTML markup used for citations by [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Parsoid|Parsoid]] changed last week. In places where Parsoid previously added the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>mw-reference-text</code></bdi> class, Parsoid now also adds the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>reference-text</code></bdi> class for better compatibility with the legacy parser. [[mw:Specs/HTML/2.8.0/Extensions/Cite/Announcement|More details are available]]. [https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/r/1036705]
'''Problems'''
* There was a bug with the Content Translation interface that caused the tools menus to appear in the wrong location. This has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T366374]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.43/wmf.9|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-06-11|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-06-12|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-06-13|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.43/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] The new version of MediaWiki includes another change to the HTML markup used for citations: [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Parsoid|Parsoid]] will now generate a <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki><span class="mw-cite-backlink"></nowiki></code></bdi> wrapper for both named and unnamed references for better compatibility with the legacy parser. Interface administrators should verify that gadgets that interact with citations are compatible with the new markup. [[mw:Specs/HTML/2.8.0/Extensions/Cite/Announcement|More details are available]]. [https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/r/1035809]
* On multilingual wikis that use the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki><translate></nowiki></code></bdi> system, there is a feature that shows potentially-outdated translations with a pink background until they are updated or confirmed. From this week, confirming translations will be logged, and there is a new user-right that can be required for confirming translations if the community [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Requesting wiki configuration changes|requests it]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T49177]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/24|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W24"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 20:20, 10 June 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-25 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W25"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/25|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* People who attempt to add an external link in the visual editor will now receive immediate feedback if they attempt to link to a domain that a project has decided to block. Please see [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Edit_check#11_June_2024|Edit check]] for more details. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T366751]
* The new [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CommunityConfiguration|Community Configuration extension]] is available [[testwiki:Special:CommunityConfiguration|on Test Wikipedia]]. This extension allows communities to customize specific features to meet their local needs. Currently only Growth features are configurable, but the extension will support other [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Community_configuration#Use_cases|Community Configuration use cases]] in the future. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T323811][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T360954]
* The dark mode [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-betafeatures|beta feature]] is now available on category and help pages, as well as more special pages. There may be contrast issues. Please report bugs on the [[mw:Talk:Reading/Web/Accessibility_for_reading|project talk page]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T366370]
'''Problems'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Advanced item]] Cloud Services tools were not available for 25 minutes last week. This was caused by a faulty hardware cable in the data center. [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Incidents/2024-06-11_WMCS_Ceph]
* Last week, styling updates were made to the Vector 2022 skin. This caused unforeseen issues with templates, hatnotes, and images. Changes to templates and hatnotes were reverted. Most issues with images were fixed. If you still see any, [[phab:T367463|report them here]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T367480]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.43/wmf.10|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-06-18|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-06-19|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-06-20|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.43/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
* Starting June 18, the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Edit check#ref|Reference Edit Check]] will be deployed to [[phab:T361843|a new set of Wikipedias]]. This feature is intended to help newcomers and to assist edit-patrollers by inviting people who are adding new content to a Wikipedia article to add a citation when they do not do so themselves. During [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Edit_check#Reference_Check_A/B_Test|a test at 11 wikis]], the number of citations added [https://diff.wikimedia.org/?p=127553 more than doubled] when Reference Check was shown to people. Reference Check is [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Edit check/Configuration|community configurable]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T361843]<!-- NOTE: THE DIFF BLOG WILL BE PUBLISHED ON MONDAY -->
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Mailing_lists|Mailing lists]] will be unavailable for roughly two hours on Tuesday 10:00–12:00 UTC. This is to enable migration to a new server and upgrade its software. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T367521]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/25|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W25"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:48, 17 June 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-26 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W26"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/26|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Editors will notice that there have been some changes to the background color of text in the diff view, and the color of the byte-change numbers, last week. These changes are intended to make text more readable in both light mode and dark mode, and are part of a larger effort to increase accessibility. You can share your comments or questions [[mw:Talk:Reading/Web/Accessibility for reading|on the project talkpage]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T361717]
* The text colors that are used for visited-links, hovered-links, and active-links, were also slightly changed last week to improve their accessibility in both light mode and dark mode. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T366515]
'''Problems'''
* You can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools#Talk pages permalinking|copy permanent links to talk page comments]] by clicking on a comment's timestamp. [[mw:Talk pages project/Permalinks|This feature]] did not always work when the topic title was very long and the link was used as a wikitext link. This has been fixed. Thanks to Lofhi for submitting the bug. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T356196]
'''Changes later this week'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|alt=|Recurrent item]] The [[mw:MediaWiki 1.43/wmf.11|new version]] of MediaWiki will be on test wikis and MediaWiki.org from {{#time:j xg|2024-06-25|en}}. It will be on non-Wikipedia wikis and some Wikipedias from {{#time:j xg|2024-06-26|en}}. It will be on all wikis from {{#time:j xg|2024-06-27|en}} ([[mw:MediaWiki 1.43/Roadmap|calendar]]). [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Train][https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
* Starting 26 June, all talk pages messages' timestamps will become a link at English Wikipedia, making this feature available for you to use at all wikis. This link is a permanent link to the comment. It allows users to find the comment they were linked to, even if this comment has since been moved elsewhere. You can read more about this feature [[DiffBlog:/2024/01/29/talk-page-permalinks-dont-lose-your-threads/|on Diff]] or [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools#Talk pages permalinking|on Mediawiki.org]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T365974]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/26|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W26"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 22:32, 24 June 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-27 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W27"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/27|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* Over the next three weeks, dark mode will become available for all users, both logged-in and logged-out, starting with the mobile web version. This fulfils one of the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community_Wishlist_Survey_2023/Reading/Dark_mode|top-requested community wishes]], and improves low-contrast reading and usage in low-light settings. As part of these changes, dark mode will also work on User-pages and Portals. There is more information in [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Accessibility_for_reading/Updates#June_2024:_Typography_and_dark_mode_deployments,_new_global_preferences|the latest Web team update]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T366364]
* Logged-in users can now set [[m:Special:GlobalPreferences#mw-prefsection-rendering-skin-skin-prefs|global preferences for the text-size and dark-mode]], thanks to a combined effort across Foundation teams. This allows Wikimedians using multiple wikis to set up a consistent reading experience easily, for example by switching between light and dark mode only once for all wikis. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T341278]
* If you use a very old web browser some features might not work on the Wikimedia wikis. This affects Internet Explorer 11 and versions of Chrome, Firefox and Safari older than 2016. This change makes it possible to use new [[d:Q46441|CSS]] features and to send less code to all readers. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T288287][https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Manual:How_to_make_a_MediaWiki_skin#Using_CSS_variables_for_supporting_different_themes_e.g._dark_mode]
* Wikipedia Admins can customize local wiki configuration options easily using [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Community Configuration|Community Configuration]]. Community Configuration was created to allow communities to customize how some features work, because each language wiki has unique needs. At the moment, admins can configure [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Feature_summary|Growth features]] on their home wikis, in order to better recruit and retain new editors. More options will be provided in the coming months. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T366458]
* Editors interested in language issues that are related to [[w:en:Unicode|Unicode standards]], can now discuss those topics at [[mw:Talk:WMF membership with Unicode Consortium|a new conversation space in MediaWiki.org]]. The Wikimedia Foundation is now a [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/WMF membership with Unicode Consortium|member of the Unicode Consortium]], and the coordination group can collaboratively review the issues discussed and, where appropriate, bring them to the attention of the Unicode Consortium.
* One new wiki has been created: a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikipedia}} in [[d:Q2891049|Mandailing]] ([[w:btm:|<code>w:btm:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T368038]
'''Problems'''
* Editors can once again click on links within the visual editor's citation-preview, thanks to a bug fix by the Editing Team. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T368119]
'''Future changes'''
* Please [https://wikimediafoundation.limesurvey.net/758713?lang=en help us to improve Tech News by taking this short survey]. The goal is to better meet the needs of the various types of people who read Tech News. The survey will be open for 2 weeks. The survey is covered by [https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Legal:Tech_News_Survey_2024_Privacy_Statement this privacy statement]. Some translations are available.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/27|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W27"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:59, 1 July 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-28 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W28"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/28|Translations]] are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* At the Wikimedia Foundation a new task force was formed to replace the disabled Graph with [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Chart/Project|more secure, easy to use, and extensible Chart]]. You can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Newsletter:Chart Project|subscribe to the newsletter]] to get notified about new project updates and other news about Chart.
* The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/CampaignEvents|CampaignEvents]] extension is now available on Meta-wiki, Igbo Wikipedia, and Swahili Wikipedia, and can be requested on your wiki. This extension helps in managing and making events more visible, giving Event organizers the ability to use tools like the Event registration tool. To learn more about the deployment status and how to request this extension for your wiki, visit the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/CampaignEvents/Deployment_status|CampaignEvents page on Meta-wiki]].
* Editors using the iOS Wikipedia app who have more than 50 edits can now use the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/iOS Suggested edits#Add an image|Add an Image]] feature. This feature presents opportunities for small but useful contributions to Wikipedia.
* Thank you to [[mw:MediaWiki Product Insights/Contributor retention and growth/Celebration|all of the authors]] who have contributed to MediaWiki Core. As a result of these contributions, the [[mw:MediaWiki Product Insights/Contributor retention and growth|percentage of authors contributing more than 5 patches has increased by 25% since last year]], which helps ensure the sustainability of the platform for the Wikimedia projects.
'''Problems'''
* A problem with the color of the talkpage tabs always showing as blue, even for non-existent pages which should have been red, affecting the Vector 2022 skin, [[phab:T367982|has been fixed]].
'''Future changes'''
* The Trust and Safety Product team wants to introduce [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts|temporary accounts]] with as little disruption to tools and workflows as possible. Volunteer developers, including gadget and user-script maintainers, are kindly asked to update the code of their tools and features to handle temporary accounts. The team has [[mw:Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts/For developers|created documentation]] explaining how to do the update. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts/For developers/2024-04 CTA|Learn more]].
'''Tech News survey'''
* Please [https://wikimediafoundation.limesurvey.net/758713?lang=en help us to improve Tech News by taking this short survey]. The goal is to better meet the needs of the various types of people who read Tech News. The survey will be open for 1 more week. The survey is covered by [https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Legal:Tech_News_Survey_2024_Privacy_Statement this privacy statement]. Some translations are available.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/28|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W28"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 21:31, 8 July 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-29 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W29"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/29|Translations]] are available.
'''Tech News survey'''
* Please [https://wikimediafoundation.limesurvey.net/758713?lang=en help us to improve Tech News by taking this short survey]. The goal is to better meet the needs of the various types of people who read Tech News. The survey will be open for 3 more days. The survey is covered by [https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Legal:Tech_News_Survey_2024_Privacy_Statement this privacy statement]. Some translations are available.
'''Recent changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] Wikimedia developers can now officially continue to use both [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Gerrit|Gerrit]] and [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/GitLab|GitLab]], due to a June 24 decision by the Wikimedia Foundation to support software development on both platforms. Gerrit and GitLab are both code repositories used by developers to write, review, and deploy the software code that supports the MediaWiki software that the wiki projects are built on, as well as the tools used by editors to create and improve content. This decision will safeguard the productivity of our developers and prevent problems in code review from affecting our users. More details are available in the [[mw:GitLab/Migration status|Migration status]] page.
* The Wikimedia Foundation seeks applicants for the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Product and Technology Advisory Council/Proposal|Product and Technology Advisory Council]] (PTAC). This group will bring technical contributors and Wikimedia Foundation together to co-define a more resilient, future-proof technological platform. Council members will evaluate and consult on the movement's product and technical activities, so that we develop multi-generational projects. We are looking for a range of technical contributors across the globe, from a variety of Wikimedia projects. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Product and Technology Advisory Council/Proposal#Joining the PTAC as a technical volunteer|Please apply here by August 10]].
* Editors with rollback user-rights who use the Wikipedia App for Android can use the new [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Team/Android/Anti Vandalism|Edit Patrol]] features. These features include a new feed of Recent Changes, related links such as Undo and Rollback, and the ability to create and save a personal library of user talk messages to use while patrolling. If your wiki wants to make these features available to users who do not have rollback rights but have reached a certain edit threshold, [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Team/Android#Contact us|you can contact the team]]. You can [[diffblog:2024/07/10/ِaddressing-vandalism-with-a-tap-the-journey-of-introducing-the-patrolling-feature-in-the-mobile-app/|read more about this project on Diff blog]].
* Editors who have access to [[m:Special:MyLanguage/The_Wikipedia_Library|The Wikipedia Library]] can once again use non-open access content in SpringerLinks, after the Foundation [[phab:T368865|contacted]] them to restore access. You can read more about [[m:Tech/News/Recently_resolved_community_tasks|this and 21 other community-submitted tasks that were completed last week]].
'''Changes later this week'''
* This week, [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Accessibility for reading/Updates/2024-07 deployments|dark mode will be available on a number of Wikipedias]], both desktop and mobile, for logged-in and logged-out users. Interface admins and user script maintainers are encouraged to check gadgets and user scripts in the dark mode, to find any hard-coded colors and fix them. There are some [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Recommendations for night mode compatibility on Wikimedia wikis|recommendations for dark mode compatibility]] to help.
'''Future changes'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] Next week, functionaries, volunteers maintaining tools, and software development teams are invited to test the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts|temporary accounts]] feature on testwiki. Temporary accounts is a feature that will help improve privacy on the wikis. No further temporary account deployments are scheduled yet. Please [[mw:Talk:Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts|share your opinions and questions on the project talk page]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T348895]
* Editors who upload files cross-wiki, or teach other people how to do so, may wish to join a Wikimedia Commons discussion. The Commons community is discussing limiting who can upload files through the cross-wiki upload/Upload dialog feature to users auto-confirmed on Wikimedia Commons. This is due to the large amount of copyright violations uploaded this way. There is a short summary at [[c:Special:MyLanguage/Commons:Cross-wiki upload|Commons:Cross-wiki upload]] and [[c:Commons:Village pump/Proposals#Deactivate cross-wiki uploads for new users|discussion at Commons:Village Pump]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/29|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].'' You can also get other news from the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation Bulletin|Wikimedia Foundation Bulletin]].
</div><section end="technews-2024-W29"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 01:31, 16 July 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-30 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W30"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/30|Translations]] are available.
'''Feature News'''
* Stewards can now [[:m:Special:MyLanguage/Global_blocks|globally block]] accounts. Before [[phab:T17294|the change]] only IP addresses and IP ranges could be blocked globally. Global account blocks are useful when the blocked user should not be logged out. [[:m:Special:MyLanguage/Global_locks|Global locks]] (a similar tool logging the user out of their account) are unaffected by this change. The new global account block feature is related to the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts|Temporary Accounts]] project, which is a new type of user account that replaces IP addresses of unregistered editors that are no longer made public.
* Later this week, Wikimedia site users will notice that the Interface of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:FlaggedRevs|FlaggedRevs]] (also known as "Pending Changes") is improved and consistent with the rest of the MediaWiki interface and [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Codex|Wikimedia's design system]]. The FlaggedRevs interface experience on mobile and [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Skin:MinervaNeue|Minerva skin]] was inconsistent before it was fixed and ported to [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Codex|Codex]] by the WMF Growth team and some volunteers. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T191156]
* Wikimedia site users can now submit account vanishing requests via [[m:Special:GlobalVanishRequest|GlobalVanishRequest]]. This feature is used when a contributor wishes to stop editing forever. It helps you hide your past association and edit to protect your privacy. Once processed, the account will be locked and renamed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T367329]
* Have you tried monitoring and addressing vandalism in Wikipedia using your phone? [https://diff.wikimedia.org/2024/07/10/%d9%90addressing-vandalism-with-a-tap-the-journey-of-introducing-the-patrolling-feature-in-the-mobile-app/ A Diff blog post on Patrolling features in the Mobile App] highlights some of the new capabilities of the feature, including swiping through a feed of recent changes and a personal library of user talk messages for use when patrolling from your phone.
* Wikimedia contributors and GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives, and museums) organisations can now learn and measure the impact Wikimedia Commons is having towards creating quality encyclopedic content using the [https://doc.wikimedia.org/generated-data-platform/aqs/analytics-api/reference/commons.html Commons Impact Metrics] analytics dashboard. The dashboard offers organizations analytics on things like monthly edits in a category, the most viewed files, and which Wikimedia articles are using Commons images. As a result of these new data dumps, GLAM organisation can more reliably measure their return on investment for programs bringing content into the digital Commons. [https://diff.wikimedia.org/2024/07/19/commons-impact-metrics-now-available-via-data-dumps-and-api/]
'''Project Updates'''
* Come share your ideas for improving the wikis on the newly reopened [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist|Community Wishlist]]. The Community Wishlist is Wikimedia’s forum for volunteers to share ideas (called wishes) to improve how the wikis work. The new version of the wishlist is always open, works with both wikitext and Visual Editor, and allows wishes in any language.
'''Learn more'''
* Have you ever wondered how Wikimedia software works across over 300 languages? This is 253 languages more than the Google Chrome interface, and it's no accident. The Language and Product Localization Team at the Wikimedia Foundation supports your work by adapting all the tools and interfaces in the MediaWiki software so that contributors in our movement who translate pages and strings can translate them and have the sites in all languages. Read more about the team and their upcoming work on [https://diff.wikimedia.org/2024/07/17/building-towards-a-robust-multilingual-knowledge-ecosystem-for-the-wikimedia-movement/ Diff].
* How can Wikimedia build innovative and experimental products while maintaining such heavily used websites? A recent [https://diff.wikimedia.org/2024/07/09/on-the-value-of-experimentation/ blog post] by WMF staff Johan Jönsson highlights the work of the [[m:Future Audiences#Objectives and Key Results|WMF Future Audience initiative]], where the goal is not to build polished products but test out new ideas, such as a [[m:Future_Audiences/Experiments: conversational/generative AI|ChatGPT plugin]] and [[m:Future_Audiences/Experiment:Add a Fact|Add a Fact]], to help take Wikimedia into the future.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/30|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].'' You can also get other news from the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation Bulletin|Wikimedia Foundation Bulletin]].
</div><section end="technews-2024-W30"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:04, 23 July 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-31 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W31"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/31|Translations]] are available.
'''Feature news'''
* Editors using the Visual Editor in languages that use non-Latin characters for numbers, such as Hindi, Manipuri and Eastern Arabic, may notice some changes in the formatting of reference numbers. This is a side effect of preparing a new sub-referencing feature, and will also allow fixing some general numbering issues in Visual Editor. If you notice any related problems on your wiki, please share details at the [[m:Talk:WMDE Technical Wishes/Sub-referencing|project talkpage]].
'''Bugs status'''
* Some logged-in editors were briefly unable to edit or load pages last week. [[phab:T370304|These errors]] were mainly due to the addition of new [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Linter|linter]] rules which led to caching problems. Fixes have been applied and investigations are continuing.
* Editors can use the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/IP Info|IP Information tool]] to get information about IP addresses. This tool is available as a Beta Feature in your preferences. The tool was not available for a few days last week, but is now working again. Thank you to Shizhao for filing the bug report. You can read about that, and [[m:Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks#2024-07-25|28 other community-submitted tasks]] that were resolved last week.
'''Project updates'''
* There are new features and improvements to Phabricator from the Release Engineering and Collaboration Services teams, and some volunteers, including: the search systems, the new task creation system, the login systems, the translation setup which has resulted in support for more languages (thanks to Pppery), and fixes for many edge-case errors. You can [[phab:phame/post/view/316/iterative_improvements/|read details about these and other improvements in this summary]].
* There is an [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Chart/Project/Updates|update on the Charts project]]. The team has decided which visualization library to use, which chart types to start focusing on, and where to store chart definitions.
* One new wiki has been created: a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikivoyage}} in [[d:Q9056|Czech]] ([[voy:cs:|<code>voy:cs:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T370905]
'''Learn more'''
* There is a [[diffblog:2024/07/26/the-journey-to-open-our-first-data-center-in-south-america/|new Wikimedia Foundation data center]] in São Paulo, Brazil which helps to reduce load times.
* There is new [[diffblog:2024/07/22/the-perplexing-process-of-uploading-images-to-wikipedia/|user research]] on problems with the process of uploading images.
* Commons Impact Metrics are [[diffblog:2024/07/19/commons-impact-metrics-now-available-via-data-dumps-and-api/|now available]] via data dumps and API.
* The latest quarterly [[mw:Technical Community Newsletter/2024/July|Technical Community Newsletter]] is now available.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/31|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W31"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:10, 29 July 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-32 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W32"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/32|Translations]] are available.
'''Feature news'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] Two new parser functions will be available this week: <code><nowiki>{{</nowiki>[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Magic_words#dir|#dir]]<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> and <code><nowiki>{{</nowiki>[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Magic_words#bcp47|#bcp47]]<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code>. These will reduce the need for <code>Template:Dir</code> and <code>Template:BCP47</code> on Commons and allow us to [[phab:T343131|drop 100 million rows]] from the "what links here" database. Editors at any wiki that use these templates, can help by replacing the templates with these new functions. The templates at Commons will be updated during the Hackathon at Wikimania. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T359761][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T366623]
* Communities can request the activation of the visual editor on entire namespaces where discussions sometimes happen (for instance ''Wikipedia:'' or ''Wikisource:'' namespaces) if they understand the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:VisualEditor/FAQ#WPNS|known limitations]]. For discussions, users can already use [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools|DiscussionTools]] in these namespaces.
* The tracking category "Pages using Timeline" has been renamed to "Pages using the EasyTimeline extension" [https://translatewiki.net/wiki/Special:Translations?message=MediaWiki%3ATimeline-tracking-category&namespace=8 in TranslateWiki]. Wikis that have created the category locally should rename their local creation to match.
'''Project updates'''
* Editors who help to organize WikiProjects and similar on-wiki collaborations, are invited to share ideas and examples of successful collaborations with the Campaigns and Programs teams. You can fill out [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Campaigns/WikiProjects|a brief survey]] or share your thoughts [[m:Talk:Campaigns/WikiProjects|on the talkpage]]. The teams are particularly looking for details about successful collaborations on non-English wikis.
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] The new parser is being rolled out on {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikivoyage}} wikis over the next few months. The {{int:project-localized-name-enwikivoyage}} and {{int:project-localized-name-hewikivoyage}} were [[phab:T365367|switched]] to Parsoid last week. For more information, see [[mw:Parsoid/Parser_Unification|Parsoid/Parser Unification]].
'''Learn more'''
* There will be more than 200 sessions at Wikimania this week. Here is a summary of some of the [[diffblog:2024/08/05/interested-in-product-and-tech-here-are-some-wikimania-sessions-you-dont-want-to-miss/|key sessions related to the product and technology area]].
* The latest [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation Bulletin/2024/07-02|Wikimedia Foundation Bulletin]] is available.
* The latest quarterly [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Language and Product Localization/Newsletter/2024/July|Language and Internationalization newsletter]] is available. It includes: New design previews for Translatable pages; Updates about MinT for Wiki Readers; the release of Translation dumps; and more.
* The latest quarterly [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Newsletters/31|Growth newsletter]] is available.
* The latest monthly [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/MediaWiki Product Insights/Reports/July 2024|MediaWiki Product Insights newsletter]] is available.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/32|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W32"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 20:43, 5 August 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-33 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W33"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/33|Translations]] are available.
'''Feature news'''
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:AbuseFilter|AbuseFilter]] editors and maintainers can now [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:AbuseFilter/Actions#Show a CAPTCHA|make a CAPTCHA show if a filter matches an edit]]. This allows communities to quickly respond to spamming by automated bots. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T20110]
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Stewards|Stewards]] can now specify if global blocks should prevent account creation. Before [[phab:T17273|this change]] by the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product|Trust and Safety Product]] Team, all global blocks would prevent account creation. This will allow stewards to reduce the unintended side-effects of global blocks on IP addresses.
'''Project updates'''
* [[wikitech:Help talk:Toolforge/Toolforge standards committee#August_2024_committee_nominations|Nominations are open on Wikitech]] for new members to refresh the [[wikitech:Help:Toolforge/Toolforge standards committee|Toolforge standards committee]]. The committee oversees the Toolforge [[wikitech:Help:Toolforge/Right to fork policy|Right to fork policy]] and [[wikitech:Help:Toolforge/Abandoned tool policy|Abandoned tool policy]] among other duties. Nominations will remain open until at least 2024-08-26.
* One new wiki has been created: a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikipedia}} in [[d:Q2880037|West Coast Bajau]] ([[w:bdr:|<code>w:bdr:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T371757]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/33|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W33"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:21, 12 August 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-34 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W34"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/34|Translations]] are available.
'''Feature news'''
* Editors who want to re-use references but with different details such as page numbers, will be able to do so by the end of 2024, using a new [[m:Special:MyLanguage/WMDE Technical Wishes/Sub-referencing#Sub-referencing in a nutshell|sub-referencing]] feature. You can read more [[m:Special:MyLanguage/WMDE Technical Wishes/Sub-referencing|about the project]] and [[m:Special:MyLanguage/WMDE Technical Wishes/Sub-referencing#Test|how to test the prototype]].
* Editors using tracking categories to identify which pages use specific extensions may notice that six of the categories have been renamed to make them more easily understood and consistent. These categories are automatically added to pages that use specialized MediaWiki extensions. The affected names are for: [https://translatewiki.net/wiki/Special:Translations?message=MediaWiki%3Aintersection-category&namespace=8 DynamicPageList], [https://translatewiki.net/wiki/Special:Translations?message=MediaWiki%3Akartographer-tracking-category&namespace=8 Kartographer], [https://translatewiki.net/wiki/Special:Translations?message=MediaWiki%3Aphonos-tracking-category&namespace=8 Phonos], [https://translatewiki.net/wiki/Special:Translations?message=MediaWiki%3Arss-tracking-category&namespace=8 RSS], [https://translatewiki.net/wiki/Special:Translations?message=MediaWiki%3Ascore-use-category&namespace=8 Score], [https://translatewiki.net/wiki/Special:Translations?message=MediaWiki%3Awikihiero-usage-tracking-category&namespace=8 WikiHiero]. Wikis that have created the category locally should rename their local creation to match. Thanks to Pppery for these improvements. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T347324]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] Technical volunteers who edit modules and want to get a list of the categories used on a page, can now do so using the <code><bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr">categories</bdi></code> property of <code><bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr">[[mediawikiwiki:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Scribunto/Lua reference manual#Title objects|mw.title objects]]</bdi></code>. This enables wikis to configure workflows such as category-specific edit notices. Thanks to SD001 for these improvements. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T50175][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T85372]
'''Bugs status'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] Your help is needed to check if any pages need to be moved or deleted. A maintenance script was run to clean up unreachable pages (due to Unicode issues or introduction of new namespaces/namespace aliases). The script tried to find appropriate names for the pages (e.g. by following the Unicode changes or by moving pages whose titles on Wikipedia start with <code>Talk:WP:</code> so that their titles start with <code>Wikipedia talk:</code>), but it may have failed for some pages, and moved them to <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr">[[Special:PrefixIndex/T195546/]]</bdi> instead. Your community should check if any pages are listed there, and move them to the correct titles, or delete them if they are no longer needed. A full log (including pages for which appropriate names could be found) is available in [[phab:P67388]].
* Editors who volunteer as [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Mentorship|mentors]] to newcomers on their wiki are once again able to access lists of potential mentees who they can connect with to offer help and guidance. This functionality was restored thanks to [[phab:T372164|a bug fix]]. Thank you to Mbch331 for filing the bug report. You can read about that, and 18 other community-submitted tasks that were [[m:Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Project updates'''
* The application deadline for the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Product and Technology Advisory Council/Proposal|Product & Technology Advisory Council]] (PTAC) has been extended to September 16. Members will help by providing advice to Foundation Product and Technology leadership on short and long term plans, on complex strategic problems, and help to get feedback from more contributors and technical communities. Selected members should expect to spend roughly 5 hours per month for the Council, during the one year pilot. Please consider applying, and spread the word to volunteers you think would make a positive contribution to the committee.
'''Learn more'''
* The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Coolest Tool Award#2024 Winners|2024 Coolest Tool Awards]] were awarded at Wikimania, in seven categories. For example, one award went to the ISA Tool, used for adding structured data to files on Commons, which was recently improved during the [[m:Event:Wiki Mentor Africa ISA Hackathon 2024|Wiki Mentor Africa Hackathon]]. You can see video demonstrations of each tool at the awards page. Congratulations to this year's recipients, and thank you to all tool creators and maintainers.
* The latest [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation Bulletin/2024/08-01|Wikimedia Foundation Bulletin]] is available, and includes some highlights from Wikimania, an upcoming Language community meeting, and other news from the movement.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/34|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W34"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:54, 20 August 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-35 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W35"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/35|Translations]] are available.
'''Feature news'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] Administrators can now test the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts|temporary accounts]] feature on test2wiki. This was done to allow cross-wiki testing of temporary accounts, for when temporary accounts switch between projects. The feature was enabled on testwiki a few weeks ago. No further temporary account deployments are scheduled yet. Temporary Accounts is a project to create a new type of user account that replaces IP addresses of unregistered editors which are no longer made public. Please [[mw:Talk:Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts|share your opinions and questions on the project talk page]].
* Later this week, editors at wikis that use [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:FlaggedRevs|FlaggedRevs]] (also known as "Pending Changes") may notice that the indicators at the top of articles have changed. This change makes the system more consistent with the rest of the MediaWiki interface. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T191156]
'''Bugs status'''
* Editors who use the 2010 wikitext editor, and use the Character Insert buttons, will [[phab:T361465|no longer]] experience problems with the buttons adding content into the edit-summary instead of the edit-window. You can read more about that, and 26 other community-submitted tasks that were [[m:Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Project updates'''
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Wishlist item]] Please review and vote on [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist/Focus areas|Focus Areas]], which are groups of wishes that share a problem. Focus Areas were created for the newly reopened Community Wishlist, which is now open year-round for submissions. The first batch of focus areas are specific to moderator workflows, around welcoming newcomers, minimizing repetitive tasks, and prioritizing tasks. Once volunteers have reviewed and voted on focus areas, the Foundation will then review and select focus areas for prioritization.
* Do you have a project and are willing to provide a three (3) month mentorship for an intern? [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Outreachy|Outreachy]] is a twice a year program for people to participate in a paid internship that will start in December 2024 and end in early March 2025, and they need mentors and projects to work on. Projects can be focused on coding or non-coding (design, documentation, translation, research). See the Outreachy page for more details, and a list of past projects since 2013.
'''Learn more'''
* If you're curious about the product and technology improvements made by the Wikimedia Foundation last year, read [[diffblog:2024/08/21/wikimedia-foundation-product-technology-improving-the-user-experience/|this recent highlights summary on Diff]].
* To learn more about the technology behind the Wikimedia projects, you can now watch sessions from the technology track at Wikimania 2024 on Commons. This week, check out:
** [[c:File:Wikimania 2024 - Ohrid - Day 2 - Community Configuration - Shaping On-Wiki Functionality Together.webm|Community Configuration - Shaping On-Wiki Functionality Together]] (55 mins) - about the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Community Configuration|Community Configuration]] project.
** [[c:File:Wikimania 2024 - Belgrade - Day 1 - Future of MediaWiki. A sustainable platform to support a collaborative user base and billions of page views.webm|Future of MediaWiki. A sustainable platform to support a collaborative user base and billions of page views]] (30 mins) - an overview for both technical and non technical audiences, covering some of the challenges and open questions, related to the [[mw:MediaWiki Product Insights|platform evolution, stewardship and developer experiences]] research.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/35|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W35"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 20:33, 26 August 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-36 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W36"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/36|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* Editors and volunteer developers interested in data visualisation can now test the new software for charts. Its early version is available on beta Commons and beta Wikipedia. This is an important milestone before making charts available on regular wikis. You can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Chart/Project/Updates|read more about this project update]] and help to test the charts.
'''Feature news'''
* Editors who use the [[{{#special:Unusedtemplates}}]] page can now filter out pages which are expected to be there permanently, such as sandboxes, test-cases, and templates that are always substituted. Editors can add the new magic word [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Magic words#EXPECTUNUSEDTEMPLATE|<code dir="ltr"><nowiki>__EXPECTUNUSEDTEMPLATE__</nowiki></code>]] to a template page to hide it from the listing. Thanks to Sophivorus and DannyS712 for these improvements. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T184633]
* Editors who use the New Topic tool on discussion pages, will [[phab:T334163|now be reminded]] to add a section header, which should help reduce the quantity of newcomers who add sections without a header. You can read more about that, and {{formatnum:28}} other community-submitted tasks that were [[m:Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
* Last week, some Toolforge tools had occasional connection problems. The cause is still being investigated, but the problems have been resolved for now. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T373243]
* Translation administrators at multilingual wikis, when editing multiple translation units, can now easily mark which changes require updates to the translation. This is possible with the [[phab:T298852#10087288|new dropdown menu]].
'''Project updates'''
* A new draft text of a policy discussing the use of Wikimedia's APIs [[m:Special:MyLanguage/API Policy Update 2024|has been published on Meta-Wiki]]. The draft text does not reflect a change in policy around the APIs; instead, it is an attempt to codify existing API rules. Comments, questions, and suggestions are welcome on [[m:Talk:API Policy Update 2024|the proposed update’s talk page]] until September 13 or until those discussions have concluded.
'''Learn more'''
* To learn more about the technology behind the Wikimedia projects, you can now watch sessions from the technology track at Wikimania 2024 on Commons. This week, check out:
** [[c:File:Wikimania 2024 - Ohrid - Day 2 - Charts, the successor of Graphs - A secure and extensible tool for data visualization.webm|Charts, the successor of Graphs - A secure and extensible tool for data visualization]] (25 mins) – about the above-mentioned Charts project.
** [[c:File:Wikimania 2024 - Ohrid - Day 3 - State of Language Technology and Onboarding at Wikimedia.webm|State of Language Technology and Onboarding at Wikimedia]] (90 mins) – about some of the language tools that support Wikimedia sites, such as [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Content translation|Content]]/[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Content translation/Section translation|Section Translation]], [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/MinT|MinT]], and LanguageConverter; also the current state and future of languages onboarding. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T368772]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/36|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W36"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 01:07, 3 September 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-37 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W37"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/37|Translations]] are available.
'''Feature news'''
* Starting this week, the standard [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeMirror|syntax highlighter]] will receive new colors that make them compatible in dark mode. This is the first of many changes to come as part of a major upgrade to syntax highlighting. You can learn more about what's to come on the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror|help page]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T365311][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T259059]
* Editors of wikis using Wikidata will now be notified of only relevant Wikidata changes in their watchlist. This is because the Lua functions <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>entity:getSitelink()</code></bdi> and <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>mw.wikibase.getSitelink(qid)</code></bdi> will have their logic unified for tracking different aspects of sitelinks to reduce junk notifications from [[m:Wikidata For Wikimedia Projects/Projects/Watchlist Wikidata Sitelinks Tracking|inconsistent sitelinks tracking]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T295356]
'''Project updates'''
* Users of all Wikis will have access to Wikimedia sites as read-only for a few minutes on September 25, starting at 15:00 UTC. This is a planned datacenter switchover for maintenance purposes. More information will be published in Tech News and will also be posted on individual wikis in the coming weeks. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T370962]
* Contributors of [[phab:T363538#10123348|11 Wikipedias]], including English will have a new <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>MOS</code></bdi> namespace added to their Wikipedias. This improvement ensures that links beginning with <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>MOS:</code></bdi> (usually shortcuts to the [[w:en:Wikipedia:Manual of Style|Manual of Style]]) are not broken by [[w:en:Mooré|Mooré]] Wikipedia (language code <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>mos</code></bdi>). [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T363538]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/37|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W37"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 18:52, 9 September 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-38 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W38"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/38|Translations]] are available.
'''Improvements and Maintenance'''
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Wishlist item]] Editors interested in templates can help by reading the latest Wishlist focus area, [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist/Focus areas/Template recall and discovery|Template recall and discovery]], and share your feedback on the talkpage. This input helps the Community Tech team to decide the right technical approach to build. Everyone is also encouraged to continue adding [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist|new wishes]].
* The new automated [[{{#special:NamespaceInfo}}]] page helps editors understand which [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Namespaces|namespaces]] exist on each wiki, and some details about how they are configured. Thanks to DannyS712 for these improvements. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T263513]
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Edit check#Reference check|References Check]] is a feature that encourages editors to add a citation when they add a new paragraph to a Wikipedia article. For a short time, the corresponding tag "Edit Check (references) activated" was erroneously being applied to some edits outside of the main namespace. This has been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T373692]
* It is now possible for a wiki community to change the order in which a page’s categories are displayed on their wiki. By default, categories are displayed in the order they appear in the wikitext. Now, wikis with a consensus to do so can [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Requesting wiki configuration changes|request]] a configuration change to display them in alphabetical order. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T373480]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] Tool authors can now access ToolsDB's [[wikitech:Portal:Data Services#ToolsDB|public databases]] from both [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Research:Quarry|Quarry]] and [[wikitech:Superset|Superset]]. Those databases have always been accessible to every [[wikitech:Portal:Toolforge|Toolforge]] user, but they are now more broadly accessible, as Quarry can be accessed by anyone with a Wikimedia account. In addition, Quarry's internal database can now be [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Research:Quarry#Querying Quarry's own database|queried from Quarry itself]]. This database contains information about all queries that are being run and starred by users in Quarry. This information was already public through the web interface, but you can now query it using SQL. You can read more about that, and {{formatnum:20}} other community-submitted tasks that were [[m:Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
* Any pages or tools that still use the very old CSS classes <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>mw-message-box</code></bdi> need to be updated. These old classes will be removed next week or soon afterwards. Editors can use a [https://global-search.toolforge.org/?q=mw-message-box®ex=1&namespaces=&title= global-search] to determine what needs to be changed. It is possible to use the newer <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>cdx-message</code></bdi> group of classes as a replacement (see [https://doc.wikimedia.org/codex/latest/components/demos/message.html#css-only-version the relevant Codex documentation], and [https://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tech/Header&diff=prev&oldid=27449042 an example update]), but using locally defined onwiki classes would be best. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T374499]
'''Technical project updates'''
* Next week, all Wikimedia wikis will be read-only for a few minutes. This will start on September 25 at [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1727276400 15:00 UTC]. This is a planned datacenter switchover for maintenance purposes. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/Server switch|This maintenance process also targets other services.]] The previous switchover took 3 minutes, and the Site Reliability Engineering teams use many tools to make sure that this essential maintenance work happens as quickly as possible. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T370962]
'''Tech in depth'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] The latest monthly [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/MediaWiki Product Insights/Reports/August 2024|MediaWiki Product Insights newsletter]] is available. This edition includes details about: research about [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Hooks|hook]] handlers to help simplify development, research about performance improvements, work to improve the REST API for end-users, and more.
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] To learn more about the technology behind the Wikimedia projects, you can now watch sessions from the technology track at Wikimania 2024 on Commons. This week, check out:
** [[c:File:Wikimania 2024 - Auditorium Kyiv - Day 4 - Hackathon Showcase.webm|Hackathon Showcase]] (45 mins) - 19 short presentations by some of the Hackathon participants, describing some of the projects they worked on, such as automated testing of maintenance scripts, a video-cutting command line tool, and interface improvements for various tools. There are [[phab:T369234|more details and links available]] in the Phabricator task.
** [[c:File:Co-Creating a Sustainable Future for the Toolforge Ecosystem.webm|Co-Creating a Sustainable Future for the Toolforge Ecosystem]] (40 mins) - a roundtable discussion for tool-maintainers, users, and supporters of Toolforge about how to make the platform sustainable and how to evaluate the tools available there.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/38|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W38"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:02, 17 September 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-39 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W39"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/39|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* All wikis will be [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/Server switch|read-only]] for a few minutes on Wednesday September 25 at [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1727276400 15:00 UTC]. Reading the wikis will not be interrupted, but editing will be paused. These twice-yearly processes allow WMF's site reliability engineering teams to remain prepared to keep the wikis functioning even in the event of a major interruption to one of our data centers.
'''Updates for editors'''
[[File:Add alt text from a halfsheet, with the article behind.png|thumb|A screenshot of the interface for the Alt Text suggested-edit feature]]
* Editors who use the iOS Wikipedia app in Spanish, Portuguese, French, or Chinese, may see the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/iOS Suggested edits project/Alt Text Experiment|Alt Text suggested-edit experiment]] after editing an article, or completing a suggested edit using "[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/iOS Suggested edits project#Hypothesis 2 Add an Image Suggested Edit|Add an image]]". Alt-text helps people with visual impairments to read Wikipedia articles. The team aims to learn if adding alt-text to images is a task that editors can be successful with. Please share any feedback on [[mw:Talk:Wikimedia Apps/iOS Suggested edits project/Alt Text Experiment|the discussion page]].
* The Codex color palette has been updated with new and revised colors for the MediaWiki user interfaces. The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Design System Team/Color/Design documentation#Updates|most noticeable changes]] for editors include updates for: dark mode colors for Links and for quiet Buttons (progressive and destructive), visited Link colors for both light and dark modes, and background colors for system-messages in both light and dark modes.
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] It is now possible to include clickable wikilinks and external links inside code blocks. This includes links that are used within <code><nowiki><syntaxhighlight></nowiki></code> tags and on code pages (JavaScript, CSS, Scribunto and Sanitized CSS). Uses of template syntax <code><nowiki>{{…}}</nowiki></code> are also linked to the template page. Thanks to SD0001 for these improvements. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T368166]
* Two bugs were fixed in the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Account vanishing|GlobalVanishRequest]] system by improving the logging and by removing an incorrect placeholder message. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T370595][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T372223]
* View all {{formatnum:25}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:25|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] From [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Enterprise|Wikimedia Enterprise]]:
** The API now enables 5,000 on-demand API requests per month and twice-monthly HTML snapshots freely (gratis and libre). More information on the updates and also improvements to the software development kits (SDK) are explained on [https://enterprise.wikimedia.com/blog/enhanced-free-api/ the project's blog post]. While Wikimedia Enterprise APIs are designed for high-volume commercial reusers, this change enables many more community use-cases to be built on the service too.
** The Snapshot API (html dumps) have added beta Structured Contents endpoints ([https://enterprise.wikimedia.com/blog/structured-contents-snapshot-api/ blog post on that]) as well as released two beta datasets (English and French Wikipedia) from that endpoint to Hugging Face for public use and feedback ([https://enterprise.wikimedia.com/blog/hugging-face-dataset/ blog post on that]). These pre-parsed data sets enable new options for researchers, developers, and data scientists to use and study the content.
'''In depth'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] The Wikidata Query Service (WDQS) is used to get answers to questions using the Wikidata data set. As Wikidata grows, we had to make a major architectural change so that WDQS could remain performant. As part of the [[d:Special:MyLanguage/Wikidata:SPARQL query service/WDQS graph split|WDQS Graph Split project]], we have new SPARQL endpoints available for serving the "[https://query-scholarly.wikidata.org scholarly]" and "[https://query-main.wikidata.org main]" subgraphs of Wikidata. The [http://query.wikidata.org query.wikidata.org endpoint] will continue to serve the full Wikidata graph until March 2025. After this date, it will only serve the main graph. For more information, please see [[d:Special:MyLanguage/Wikidata:SPARQL query service/WDQS backend update/September 2024 scaling update|the announcement on Wikidata]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/39|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W39"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:36, 23 September 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-40 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W40"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/40|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* Readers of [[phab:T375401|42 more wikis]] can now use Dark Mode. If the option is not yet available for logged-out users of your wiki, this is likely because many templates do not yet display well in Dark Mode. Please use the [https://night-mode-checker.wmcloud.org/ night-mode-checker tool] if you are interested in helping to reduce the number of issues. The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Recommendations for night mode compatibility on Wikimedia wikis|recommendations page]] provides guidance on this. Dark Mode is enabled on additional wikis once per month.
* Editors using the 2010 wikitext editor as their default can access features from the 2017 wikitext editor by adding <code dir=ltr>?veaction=editsource</code> to the URL. If you would like to enable the 2017 wikitext editor as your default, it can be set in [[Special:Preferences#mw-input-wpvisualeditor-newwikitext|your preferences]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T239796]
* For logged-out readers using the Vector 2022 skin, the "donate" link has been moved from a collapsible menu next to the content area into a more prominent top menu, next to "Create an account". This restores the link to the level of prominence it had in the Vector 2010 skin. [[mw:Readers/2024 Reader and Donor Experiences#Donor Experiences (Key Result WE 3.2 and the related hypotheses)|Learn more]] about the changes related to donor experiences. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T373585]
* The CampaignEvents extension provides tools for organizers to more easily manage events, communicate with participants, and promote their events on the wikis. The extension has been [[m:Special:MyLanguage/CampaignEvents/Deployment status|enabled]] on Arabic Wikipedia, Igbo Wikipedia, Swahili Wikipedia, and Meta-Wiki. [[w:zh:Wikipedia:互助客栈/其他#引進CampaignEvents擴充功能|Chinese Wikipedia has decided]] to enable the extension, and discussions on the extension are in progress [[w:es:Wikipedia:Votaciones/2024/Sobre la política de Organizadores de Eventos|on Spanish Wikipedia]] and [[d:Wikidata:Project chat#Enabling the CampaignEvents Extention on Wikidata|on Wikidata]]. To learn how to enable the extension on your wiki, you can visit [[m:Special:MyLanguage/CampaignEvents|the CampaignEvents page on Meta-Wiki]].
* View all {{formatnum:22}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:22|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Developers with an account on Wikitech-wiki should [[wikitech:Wikitech/SUL-migration|check if any action is required]] for their accounts. The wiki is being changed to use the single-user-login (SUL) system, and other configuration changes. This change will help reduce the overall complexity for the weekly software updates across all our wikis.
'''In depth'''
* The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/Server switch|server switch]] was completed successfully last week with a read-only time of [[wikitech:Switch Datacenter#Past Switches|only 2 minutes 46 seconds]]. This periodic process makes sure that engineers can switch data centers and keep all of the wikis available for readers, even if there are major technical issues. It also gives engineers a chance to do maintenance and upgrades on systems that normally run 24 hours a day, and often helps to reveal weaknesses in the infrastructure. The process involves dozens of software services and hundreds of hardware servers, and requires multiple teams working together. Work over the past few years has reduced the time from 17 minutes down to 2–3 minutes. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/66ZW7B2MG63AESQVTXDIFQBDBS766JGW/]
'''Meetings and events'''
* October 4–6: [[m:Special:MyLanguage/WikiIndaba conference 2024|WikiIndaba Conference's Hackathon]] in Johannesburg, South Africa
* November 4–6: [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/MediaWiki Users and Developers Conference Fall 2024|MediaWiki Users and Developers Conference Fall 2024]] in Vienna, Austria
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/40|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W40"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 22:20, 30 September 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-41 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W41"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/41|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* Communities can now request installation of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Moderator Tools/Automoderator|Automoderator]] on their wiki. Automoderator is an automated anti-vandalism tool that reverts bad edits based on scores from the new "Revert Risk" machine learning model. You can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:AutoModerator/Deploying|read details about the necessary steps]] for installation and configuration. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T336934]
'''Updates for editors'''
* Translators in wikis where [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Content translation/Section translation#Try the tool|the mobile experience of Content Translation is available]], can now customize their articles suggestion list from 41 filtering options when using the tool. This topic-based article suggestion feature makes it easy for translators to self-discover relevant articles based on their area of interest and translate them. You can [https://test.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:ContentTranslation&active-list=suggestions try it with your mobile device]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T368422]
* View all {{formatnum:12}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:12|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* It is now possible for <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki><syntaxhighlight></nowiki></code></bdi> code blocks to offer readers a "Copy" button if the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>copy=1</nowiki></code></bdi> attribute is [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:SyntaxHighlight#copy|set on the tag]]. Thanks to SD0001 for these improvements. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T40932]
* Customized copyright footer messages on all wikis will be updated. The new versions will use wikitext markup instead of requiring editing raw HTML. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T375789]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] Later this month, [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts|temporary accounts]] will be rolled out on several pilot wikis. The final list of the wikis will be published in the second half of the month. If you maintain any tools, bots, or gadgets on [[phab:T376499|these 11 wikis]], and your software is using data about IP addresses or is available for logged-out users, please check if it needs to be updated to work with temporary accounts. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts/For developers|Guidance on how to update the code is available]].
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] Rate limiting has been enabled for the code review tools [[Wikitech:Gerrit|Gerrit]] and [[Wikitech:GitLab|GitLab]] to address ongoing issues caused by malicious traffic and scraping. Clients that open too many concurrent connections will be restricted for a few minutes. This rate limiting is managed through [[Wikitech:nftables|nftables]] firewall rules. For more details, see Wikitech's pages on [[Wikitech:Firewall#Throttling with nftables|Firewall]], [[Wikitech:GitLab/Abuse and rate limiting|GitLab limits]] and [[Wikitech:Gerrit/Operations#Throttling IPs|Gerrit operations]].
* Five new wikis have been created:
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikipedia}} in [[d:Q49224|Komering]] ([[w:kge:|<code>w:kge:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T374813]
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikipedia}} in [[d:Q36096|Mooré]] ([[m:mos:|<code>m:mos:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T374641]
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wiktionary}} in [[d:Q36213|Madurese]] ([[wikt:mad:|<code>wikt:mad:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T374968]
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikiquote}} in [[d:Q2501174|Gorontalo]] ([[q:gor:|<code>q:gor:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T375088]
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikinews}} in [[d:Q56482|Shan]] ([[n:shn:|<code>n:shn:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T375430]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/41|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W41"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:42, 7 October 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-42 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W42"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/42|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* The Structured Discussion extension (also known as Flow) is starting to be removed. This extension is unmaintained and causes issues. It will be replaced by [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools|DiscussionTools]], which is used on any regular talk page. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Structured Discussions/Deprecation#Deprecation timeline|A first set of wikis]] are being contacted. These wikis are invited to stop using Flow, and to move all Flow boards to sub-pages, as archives. At these wikis, a script will move all Flow pages that aren't a sub-page to a sub-page automatically, starting on 22 October 2024. On 28 October 2024, all Flow boards at these wikis will be set in read-only mode. [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Structured_Discussions/Deprecation][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T370722]
* WMF's Search Platform team is working on making it easier for readers to perform text searches in their language. A [[phab:T332342|change last week]] on over 30 languages makes it easier to find words with accents and other diacritics. This applies to both full-text search and to types of advanced search such as the <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">''hastemplate''</bdi> and <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">''incategory''</bdi> keywords. More technical details (including a few other minor search upgrades) are available. [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/User:TJones_%28WMF%29/Notes/Language_Analyzer_Harmonization_Notes#ASCII-folding/ICU-folding_%28T332342%29]
* View all {{formatnum:20}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:20|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Edit check|EditCheck]] was installed at Russian Wikipedia, and fixes were made for some missing user interface styles.
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Editors who use the Toolforge tool [[toolforge:copyvios|Earwig's Copyright Violation Detector]] will now be required to log in with their Wikimedia account before running checks using the "search engine" option. This change is needed to help prevent external bots from misusing the system. Thanks to Chlod for these improvements. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:New_pages_patrol/Reviewers#Authentication_is_now_required_for_search_engine_checks_on_Earwig's_Copyvio_Tool]
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Phabricator|Phabricator]] users can create tickets and add comments on existing tickets via Email again. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Phabricator/Help#Using email|Sending email to Phabricator]] has been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T356077]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] Some HTML elements in the interface are now wrapped with a <code><nowiki><bdi></nowiki></code> element, to make our HTML output more aligned with Web standards. More changes like this will be coming in future weeks. This change might break some tools that rely on the previous HTML structure of the interface. Note that relying on the HTML structure of the interface is [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Stable interface policy/Frontend#What is not stable?|not recommended]] and might break at any time. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T375975]
'''In depth'''
* The latest monthly [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/MediaWiki Product Insights/Reports/September 2024|MediaWiki Product Insights newsletter]] is available. This edition includes: updates on Wikimedia's authentication system, research to simplify feature development in the MediaWiki platform, updates on Parser Unification and MathML rollout, and more.
* The latest quarterly [[mw:Technical Community Newsletter/2024/October|Technical Community Newsletter]] is now available. This edition include: research about improving topic suggestions related to countries, improvements to PHPUnit tests, and more.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/42|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W42"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 21:21, 14 October 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-43 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W43"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/43|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* The Mobile Apps team has released an [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Team/iOS/Navigation Refresh#Phase 1: Creating a user Profile Menu (T373714)|update]] to the iOS app's navigation, and it is now available in the latest App store version. The team added a new Profile menu that allows for easy access to editor features like Notifications and Watchlist from the Article view, and brings the "Donate" button into a more accessible place for users who are reading an article. This is the first phase of a larger planned [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Team/iOS/Navigation Refresh|navigation refresh]] to help the iOS app transition from a primarily reader-focused app, to an app that fully supports reading and editing. The Wikimedia Foundation has added more editing features and support for on-wiki communication based on volunteer requests in recent years.
[[File:IOS App Navigation refresh first phase 05.png|thumb|iOS Wikipedia App's profile menu and contents]]
'''Updates for editors'''
* Wikipedia readers can now download a browser extension to experiment with some early ideas on potential features that recommend articles for further reading, automatically summarize articles, and improve search functionality. For more details and to stay updated, check out the Web team's [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Content Discovery Experiments|Content Discovery Experiments page]] and [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Newsletter:Web team's projects|subscribe to their newsletter]].
* Later this month, logged-out editors of [[phab:T376499|these 12 wikis]] will start to have [[mw:Special:Mylanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts|temporary accounts]] created. The list may slightly change - some wikis may be removed but none will be added. Temporary account is a new [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/User account types|type of user account]]. It enhances the logged-out editors' privacy and makes it easier for community members to communicate with them. If you maintain any tools, bots, or gadgets on these 12 wikis, and your software is using data about IP addresses or is available for logged-out users, please check if it needs to be updated to work with temporary accounts. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts/For developers|Guidance on how to update the code is available]]. Read more about the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts/Updates|deployment plan across all wikis]].
* View all {{formatnum:33}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:33|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the [[w:nr:Main Page|South Ndebele]], [[w:rsk:Главни бок|Pannonian Rusyn]], [[w:ann:Uwu|Obolo]], [[w:iba:Lambar Keterubah|Iban]] and [[w:tdd:ᥞᥨᥝᥴ ᥘᥣᥲ ᥖᥥᥰ|Tai Nüa]] Wikipedia languages were created last week. [https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q36785][https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q35660][https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q36614][https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q33424][https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q36556]
* It is now possible to create functions on Wikifunctions using Wikidata lexemes, through the new [[f:Z6005|Wikidata lexeme type]] launched last week. When you go to one of these functions, the user interface provides a lexeme selector that helps you pick a lexeme from Wikidata that matches the word you type. After hitting run, your selected lexeme is retrieved from Wikidata, transformed into a Wikidata lexeme type, and passed into the selected function. Read more about this in [[f:Special:MyLanguage/Wikifunctions:Status updates/2024-10-17#Function of the Week: select representation from lexeme|the latest Wikifunctions newsletter]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] Users of the Wikimedia sites can now format dates more easily in different languages with the new <code dir="ltr">{{[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:ParserFunctions##timef|#timef]]:…}}</code> parser function. For example, <code dir="ltr"><nowiki>{{#timef:now|date|en}}</nowiki></code> will show as "<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">{{#timef:now|date|en}}</bdi>". Previously, <code dir="ltr"><nowiki>{{#time:…}}</nowiki></code> could be used to format dates, but this required knowledge of the order of the time and date components and their intervening punctuation. <code dir="ltr">#timef</code> (or <code dir="ltr">#timefl</code> for local time) provides access to the standard date formats that MediaWiki uses in its user interface. This may help to simplify some templates on multi-lingual wikis like Commons and Meta. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T223772][https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:ParserFunctions##timef]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] Commons and Meta users can now efficiently [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Magic words#Localization|retrieve the user's language]] using <code dir="ltr"><nowiki>{{USERLANGUAGE}}</nowiki></code> instead of using <code dir="ltr"><nowiki>{{int:lang}}</nowiki></code>. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T4085]
* The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Product and Technology Advisory Council|Product and Tech Advisory Council]] (PTAC) now has its pilot members with representation across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America. They will work to address the [[Special:MyLanguage/Movement Strategy/Initiatives/Technology Council|Movement Strategy's Technology Council]] initiative of having a co-defined and more resilient technological platform. [https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Movement_Strategy/Initiatives/Technology_Council]
'''In depth'''
* The latest quarterly [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Newsletters/32|Growth newsletter]] is available. It includes: an upcoming Newcomer Homepage Community Updates module, new Community Configuration options, and details on new projects.
* The Wikimedia Foundation is [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Security Team#CNA Partnership|now an official partner of the CVE program]], which is an international effort to catalog publicly disclosed cybersecurity vulnerabilities. This partnership will allow the Security Team to instantly publish [[w:en:Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures|common vulnerabilities and exposures]] (CVE) records that are affecting MediaWiki core, extensions, and skins, along with any other code the Foundation is a steward of.
* The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist|Community Wishlist]] is now [[m:Community Wishlist/Updates#October 16, 2024: Conversations Made Easier: Machine-Translated Wishes Are Here!|testing machine translations]] for Wishlist content. Volunteers can now read machine-translated versions of wishes and dive into discussions even before translators arrive to translate content.
'''Meetings and events'''
* 24 October - Wiki Education Speaker Series Webinar - [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/N4XTB4G55BUY3M3PNGUAKQWJ7A4UOPAK/ Open Source Tech: Building the Wiki Education Dashboard], featuring Wikimedia interns and a Web developer in the panel.
* 20–22 December 2024 - [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Indic Wikimedia Hackathon Bhubaneswar 2024|Indic Wikimedia Hackathon Bhubaneswar 2024]] in Odisha, India. A hackathon for community members, including developers, designers and content editors, to build technical solutions that improve contributors' experiences.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/43|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W43"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 20:52, 21 October 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-44 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W44"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/44|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* Later in November, the Charts extension will be deployed to the test wikis in order to help identify and fix any issue. A security review is underway to then enable deployment to pilot wikis for broader testing. You can read [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Chart/Project/Updates#October 2024: Working towards production deployment|the October project update]] and see the [https://en.wikipedia.beta.wmflabs.org/wiki/Charts latest documentation and examples on Beta Wikipedia].
* View all {{formatnum:32}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:32|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, [[w:en:PediaPress|Pediapress.com]], an external service that creates books from Wikipedia, can now use [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Maps|Wikimedia Maps]] to include existing pre-rendered infobox map images in their printed books on Wikipedia. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T375761]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Wikis can use [[:mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:GuidedTour|the Guided Tour extension]] to help newcomers understand how to edit. The Guided Tours extension now works with [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Dark mode|dark mode]]. Guided Tour maintainers can check their tours to see that nothing looks odd. They can also set <code>emitTransitionOnStep</code> to <code>true</code> to fix an old bug. They can use the new flag <code>allowAutomaticBack</code> to avoid back-buttons they don't want. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T73927#10241528]
* Administrators in the Wikimedia projects who use the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Nuke|Nuke Extension]] will notice that mass deletions done with this tool have the "Nuke" tag. This change will make reviewing and analyzing deletions performed with the tool easier. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T366068]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/44|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W44"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 20:56, 28 October 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-45 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W45"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/45|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* Stewards can now make [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Global blocks|global account blocks]] cause global [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Autoblock|autoblocks]]. This will assist stewards in preventing abuse from users who have been globally blocked. This includes preventing globally blocked temporary accounts from exiting their session or switching browsers to make subsequent edits for 24 hours. Previously, temporary accounts could exit their current session or switch browsers to continue editing. This is an anti-abuse tool improvement for the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts|Temporary Accounts]] project. You can read more about the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts/Updates|progress on key features for temporary accounts]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T368949]
* Wikis that have the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/CampaignEvents/Deployment status|CampaignEvents extension enabled]] can now use the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Campaigns/Foundation Product Team/Event list#October 29, 2024: Collaboration List launched|Collaboration List]] feature. This list provides a new, easy way for contributors to learn about WikiProjects on their wikis. Thanks to the Campaign team for this work that is part of [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2024-2025/Product %26 Technology OKRs#WE KRs|the 2024/25 annual plan]]. If you are interested in bringing the CampaignEvents extension to your wiki, you can [[m:Special:MyLanguage/CampaignEvents/Deployment status#How to Request the CampaignEvents Extension for your wiki|follow these steps]] or you can reach out to User:Udehb-WMF for help.
* The text color for red links will be slightly changed later this week to improve their contrast in light mode. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T370446]
* View all {{formatnum:32}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:32|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, on multilingual wikis, users [[phab:T216368|can now]] hide translations from the WhatLinksHere special page.
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* XML [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Data dumps|data dumps]] have been temporarily paused whilst a bug is investigated. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/xmldatadumps-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/BXWJDPO5QI2QMBCY7HO36ELDCRO6HRM4/]
'''In depth'''
* Temporary Accounts have been deployed to six wikis; thanks to the Trust and Safety Product team for [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts|this work]], you can read about [[phab:T340001|the deployment plans]]. Beginning next week, Temporary Accounts will also be enabled on [[phab:T378336|seven other projects]]. If you are active on these wikis and need help migrating your tools, please reach out to [[m:User:Udehb-WMF|User:Udehb-WMF]] for assistance.
* The latest quarterly [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Language and Product Localization/Newsletter/2024/October|Language and Internationalization newsletter]] is available. It includes: New languages supported in translatewiki or in MediaWiki; New keyboard input methods for some languages; details about recent and upcoming meetings, and more.
'''Meetings and events'''
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/MediaWiki Users and Developers Conference Fall 2024|MediaWiki Users and Developers Conference Fall 2024]] is happening in Vienna, Austria and online from 4 to 6 November 2024. The conference will feature discussions around the usage of MediaWiki software by and within companies in different industries and will inspire and onboard new users.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/45|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W45"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 20:50, 4 November 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-46 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W46"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/46|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* On wikis with the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Translate|Translate extension]] enabled, users will notice that the FuzzyBot will now automatically create translated versions of categories used on translated pages. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T285463]
* View all {{formatnum:29}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:29|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the submitted task to use the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:SecurePoll|SecurePoll extension]] for English Wikipedia's special [[w:en:Wikipedia:Administrator elections|administrator election]] was resolved on time. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T371454]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] In <code dir="ltr">[[mw:MediaWiki_1.44/wmf.2|1.44.0-wmf-2]]</code>, the logic of Wikibase function <code>getAllStatements</code> changed to behave like <code>getBestStatements</code>. Invoking the function now returns a copy of values which are immutable. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T270851]
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/ Wikimedia REST API] users, such as bot operators and tool maintainers, may be affected by ongoing upgrades. The API will be rerouting some page content endpoints from RESTbase to the newer [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/API:REST API|MediaWiki REST API]] endpoints. The [[phab:T374683|impacted endpoints]] include getting page/revision metadata and rendered HTML content. These changes will be available on testwiki later this week, with other projects to follow. This change should not affect existing functionality, but active users of the impacted endpoints should verify behavior on testwiki, and raise any concerns on the related [[phab:T374683|Phabricator ticket]].
'''In depth'''
* Admins and users of the Wikimedia projects [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Moderator_Tools/Automoderator#Usage|where Automoderator is enabled]] can now monitor and evaluate important metrics related to Automoderator's actions. [https://superset.wmcloud.org/superset/dashboard/unified-automoderator-activity-dashboard/ This Superset dashboard] calculates and aggregates metrics about Automoderator's behaviour on the projects in which it is deployed. Thanks to the Moderator Tools team for this Dashboard; you can visit [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Moderator Tools/Automoderator/Unified Activity Dashboard|the documentation page]] for more information about this work. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T369488]
'''Meetings and events'''
* 21 November 2024 ([[m:Special:MyLanguage/Event:Commons community discussion - 21 November 2024 8:00 UTC|8:00 UTC]] & [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Event:Commons community discussion - 21 November 2024 16:00 UTC|16:00 UTC]]) - [[c:Commons:WMF support for Commons/Commons community calls|Community call]] with Wikimedia Commons volunteers and stakeholders to help prioritize support efforts for 2025-2026 Fiscal Year. The theme of this call is how content should be organised on Wikimedia Commons.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/46|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W46"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:07, 12 November 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-47 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W47"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/47|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* Users of Wikimedia sites will now be warned when they create a [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Redirects|redirect]] to a page that doesn't exist. This will reduce the number of broken redirects to red links in our projects. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T326057]
* View all {{formatnum:42}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:42|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Pywikibot/Overview|Pywikibot]], which automates work on MediaWiki sites, was upgraded to 9.5.0 on Toolforge. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T378676]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* On wikis that use the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:FlaggedRevs|FlaggedRevs extension]], pages created or moved by users with the appropriate permissions are marked as flagged automatically. This feature has not been working recently, and changes fixing it should be deployed this week. Thanks to Daniel and Wargo for working on this. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T379218][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T368380]
'''In depth'''
* There is a new [https://diff.wikimedia.org/2024/11/05/say-hi-to-temporary-accounts-easier-collaboration-with-logged-out-editors-with-better-privacy-protection Diff post] about Temporary Accounts, available in more than 15 languages. Read it to learn about what Temporary Accounts are, their impact on different groups of users, and the plan to introduce the change on all wikis.
'''Meetings and events'''
* Technical volunteers can now register for the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Hackathon 2025|2025 Wikimedia Hackathon]], which will take place in Istanbul, Turkey. [https://pretix.eu/wikimedia/hackathon2025/ Application for travel and accommodation scholarships] is open from '''November 12 to December 10 2024'''. The registration for the event will close in mid-April 2025. The Wikimedia Hackathon is an annual gathering that unites the global technical community to collaborate on existing projects and explore new ideas.
* Join the [[C:Special:MyLanguage/Commons:WMF%20support%20for%20Commons/Commons%20community%20calls|Wikimedia Commons community calls]] this week to help prioritize support for Commons which will be planned for 2025–2026. The theme will be how content should be organised on Wikimedia Commons. This is an opportunity for volunteers who work on different things to come together and talk about what matters for the future of the project. The calls will take place '''November 21, 2024, [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Event:Commons community discussion - 21 November 2024 8:00 UTC|8:00 UTC]] and [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Event:Commons community discussion - 21 November 2024 16:00 UTC|16:00 UTC]]'''.
* A [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Language_and_Product_Localization/Community meetings#29 November 2024|Language community meeting]] will take place '''November 29, 16:00 UTC''' to discuss updates and technical problem-solving.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/47|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W47"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 02:00, 19 November 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-48 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W48"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/48|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Wishlist item]] A new version of the standard wikitext editor-mode [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeMirror|syntax highlighter]] will be available as a [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-betafeatures|beta feature]] later this week. This brings many new features and bug fixes, including right-to-left support, [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror#Template folding|template folding]], [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror#Autocompletion|autocompletion]], and an improved search panel. You can learn more on the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror|help page]].
* The 2010 wikitext editor now supports common keyboard shortcuts such <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>Ctrl</code>+<code>B</code></bdi> for bold and <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>Ctrl</code>+<code>I</code></bdi> for italics. A full [[mw:Help:Extension:WikiEditor#Keyboard shortcuts|list of all six shortcuts]] is available. Thanks to SD0001 for this improvement. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T62928]
* Starting November 28, Flow/Structured Discussions pages will be automatically archived and set to read-only at the following wikis: <bdi>bswiki</bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi>elwiki</bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi>euwiki</bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi>fawiki</bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi>fiwiki</bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi>frwikiquote</bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi>frwikisource</bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi>frwikiversity</bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi>frwikivoyage</bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi>idwiki</bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi>lvwiki</bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi>plwiki</bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi>ptwiki</bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi>urwiki</bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi>viwikisource</bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi>zhwikisource</bdi>. This is done as part of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Structured_Discussions/Deprecation|StructuredDiscussions deprecation work]]. If you need any assistance to archive your page in advance, please contact [[m:User:Trizek (WMF)|Trizek (WMF)]].
* View all {{formatnum:25}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:25|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, a user creating a new AbuseFilter can now only set the filter to "protected" [[phab:T377765|if it includes a protected variable]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeEditor|CodeEditor]], which can be used in JavaScript, CSS, JSON, and Lua pages, [[phab:T377663|now offers]] live autocompletion. Thanks to SD0001 for this improvement. The feature can be temporarily disabled on a page by pressing <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>Ctrl</code>+<code>,</code></bdi> and un-selecting "<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">Live Autocompletion</bdi>".
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] Tool-maintainers who use the Graphite system for tracking metrics, need to migrate to the newer Prometheus system. They can check [https://grafana.wikimedia.org/d/K6DEOo5Ik/grafana-graphite-datasource-utilization?orgId=1 this dashboard] and the list in the Description of the [[phab:T350592|task T350592]] to see if their tools are listed, and they should claim metrics and dashboards connected to their tools. They can then disable or migrate all existing metrics by following the instructions in the task. The Graphite service will become read-only in April. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/KLUV4IOLRYXPQFWD6WKKJUHMWE77BMSZ/]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/NewPP parser report|New PreProcessor parser performance report]] has been fixed to give an accurate count for the number of Wikibase entities accessed. It had previously been resetting after 400 entities. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T279069]
'''Meetings and events'''
* A [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia_Language_and_Product_Localization/Community meetings#29 November 2024|Language community meeting]] will take place November 29 at [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1732896000 16:00 UTC]. There will be presentations on topics like developing language keyboards, the creation of the Mooré Wikipedia, the language support track at [[m:Wiki Indaba|Wiki Indaba]], and a report from the Wayuunaiki community on their experiences with the Incubator and as a new community over the last 3 years. This meeting will be in English and will also have Spanish interpretation.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/48|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W48"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 22:42, 25 November 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-49 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W49"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/49|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* Two new parser functions were added this week. The <code dir="ltr"><nowiki>{{</nowiki>[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Magic words#interwikilink|#interwikilink]]<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> function adds an [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Links#Interwiki links|interwiki link]] and the <code dir="ltr"><nowiki>{{</nowiki>[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Magic words#interlanguagelink|#interlanguagelink]]<nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> function adds an [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Links#Interlanguage links|interlanguage link]]. These parser functions are useful on wikis where namespaces conflict with interwiki prefixes. For example, links beginning with <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>MOS:</code></bdi> on English Wikipedia [[phab:T363538|conflict with the <code>mos</code> language code prefix of Mooré Wikipedia]].
* Starting this week, Wikimedia wikis no longer support connections using old RSA-based HTTPS certificates, specifically rsa-2048. This change is to improve security for all users. Some older, unsupported browser or smartphone devices will be unable to connect; Instead, they will display a connectivity error. See the [[wikitech:HTTPS/Browser_Recommendations|HTTPS Browser Recommendations page]] for more-detailed information. All modern operating systems and browsers are always able to reach Wikimedia projects. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/CTYEHVNSXUD3NFAAMG3BLZVTVQWJXJAH/]
* Starting December 16, Flow/Structured Discussions pages will be automatically archived and set to read-only at the following wikis: <bdi>arwiki</bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi>cawiki</bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi>frwiki</bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi>mediawikiwiki</bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi>orwiki</bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi>wawiki</bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi>wawiktionary</bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi>wikidatawiki</bdi>{{int:comma-separator/en}}<bdi>zhwiki</bdi>. This is done as part of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Structured_Discussions/Deprecation|StructuredDiscussions deprecation work]]. If you need any assistance to archive your page in advance, please contact [[m:User:Trizek (WMF)|Trizek (WMF)]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T380910]
* This month the Chart extension was deployed to production and is now available on Commons and Testwiki. With the security review complete, pilot wiki deployment is expected to start in the first week of December. You can see a working version [[testwiki:Charts|on Testwiki]] and read [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Chart/Project/Updates|the November project update]] for more details.
* View all {{formatnum:23}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:23|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, a bug with the "Download as PDF" system was fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T376438]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* In late February, temporary accounts will be rolled out on at least 10 large wikis. This deployment will have a significant effect on the community-maintained code. This is about Toolforge tools, bots, gadgets, and user scripts that use IP address data or that are available for logged-out users. The Trust and Safety Product team wants to identify this code, monitor it, and assist in updating it ahead of the deployment to minimize disruption to workflows. The team asks technical editors and volunteer developers to help identify such tools by adding them to [[mw:Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts/For developers/Impacted tools|this list]]. In addition, review the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts/For developers|updated documentation]] to learn how to adjust the tools. Join the discussions on the [[mw:Talk:Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts|project talk page]] or in the [[discord:channels/221049808784326656/1227616742340034722|dedicated thread]] on the [[w:Wikipedia:Discord|Wikimedia Community Discord server (in English)]] for support and to share feedback.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/49|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W49"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 22:22, 2 December 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-50 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W50"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/50|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* Technical documentation contributors can find updated resources, and new ways to connect with each other and the Wikimedia Technical Documentation Team, at the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Documentation|Documentation hub]] on MediaWiki.org. This page links to: resources for writing and improving documentation, a new <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr">#wikimedia-techdocs</bdi> IRC channel on libera.chat, a listing of past and upcoming documentation events, and ways to request a documentation consultation or review. If you have any feedback or ideas for improvements to the documentation ecosystem, please [[mw:Wikimedia Technical Documentation Team#Contact us|contact the Technical Documentation Team]].
'''Updates for editors'''
[[File:Edit Check on Desktop.png|thumb|Layout change for the Edit Check feature]]
* Later this week, [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Edit check|Edit Check]] will be relocated to a sidebar on desktop. Edit check is the feature for new editors to help them follow policies and guidelines. This layout change creates space to present people with [[mw:Edit check#1 November 2024|new Checks]] that appear ''while'' they are typing. The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Edit check#Reference Check A/B Test|initial results]] show newcomers encountering Edit Check are 2.2 times more likely to publish a new content edit that includes a reference and is not reverted.
* The Chart extension, which enables editors to create data visualizations, was successfully made available on MediaWiki.org and three pilot wikis (Italian, Swedish, and Hebrew Wikipedias). You can see a working examples [[testwiki:Charts|on Testwiki]] and read [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Chart/Project/Updates|the November project update]] for more details.
* Translators in wikis where the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Content translation/Section translation#Try the tool|mobile experience of Content Translation is available]], can now discover articles in Wikiproject campaigns of their interest from the "[https://test.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:ContentTranslation&campaign=specialcx&filter-type=automatic&filter-id=collections&active-list=suggestions&from=es&to=en All collection]" category in the articles suggestion feature. Wikiproject Campaign organizers can use this feature, to help translators to discover articles of interest, by adding the <code dir=ltr><nowiki><page-collection> </page-collection></nowiki></code> tag to their campaign article list page on Meta-wiki. This will make those articles discoverable in the Content Translation tool. For more detailed information on how to use the tool and tag, please refer to [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Translation suggestions: Topic-based & Community-defined lists/How to use the features|the step-by-step guide]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T378958]
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Nuke|Nuke]] feature, which enables administrators to mass delete pages, now has a [[phab:T376379#10310998|multiselect filter for namespace selection]]. This enables users to select multiple specific namespaces, instead of only one or all, when fetching pages for deletion.
* The Nuke feature also now [[phab:T364225#10371365|provides links]] to the userpage of the user whose pages were deleted, and to the pages which were not selected for deletion, after page deletions are queued. This enables easier follow-up admin-actions. Thanks to Chlod and the Moderator Tools team for both of these improvements. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T364225#10371365]
* The Editing Team is working on making it easier to populate citations from archive.org using the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Citoid/Enabling Citoid on your wiki|Citoid]] tool, the auto-filled citation generator. They are asking communities to add two parameters preemptively, <code dir=ltr>archiveUrl</code> and <code dir=ltr>archiveDate</code>, within the TemplateData for each citation template using Citoid. You can see an [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template%3ACite_web%2Fdoc&diff=1261320172&oldid=1260788022 example of a change in a template], and a [https://global-search.toolforge.org/?namespaces=10&q=%5C%22citoid%5C%22%3A%20%5C%7B®ex=1&title= list of all relevant templates]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T374831]
* One new wiki has been created: a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikivoyage}} in [[d:Q9240|Indonesian]] ([[voy:id:|<code>voy:id:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T380726]
* Last week, all wikis had problems serving pages to logged-in users and some logged-out users for 30–45 minutes. This was caused by a database problem, and investigation is ongoing. [https://www.wikimediastatus.net/incidents/3g2ckc7bp6l9]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:19}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:19|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, a bug in the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Tools/Add a link|Add Link]] feature has been fixed. Previously, the list of sections which are excluded from Add Link was partially ignored in certain cases. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T380455][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T380329]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Codex|Codex]], the design system for Wikimedia, now has an early-stage [[gitiles:design/codex-php|implementation in PHP]]. It is available for general use in MediaWiki extensions and Toolforge apps through [https://packagist.org/packages/wikimedia/codex Composer], with use in MediaWiki core coming soon. More information is available in [[wmdoc:design-codex-php/main/index.html|the documentation]]. Thanks to Doğu for the inspiration and many contributions to the library. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T379662]
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/ Wikimedia REST API] users, such as bot operators and tool maintainers, may be affected by ongoing upgrades. On December 4, the MediaWiki Interfaces team began rerouting page/revision metadata and rendered HTML content endpoints on [[testwiki:|testwiki]] from RESTbase to comparable MediaWiki REST API endpoints. The team encourages active users of these endpoints to verify their tool's behavior on testwiki and raise any concerns on the related [[phab:T374683|Phabricator ticket]] before the end of the year, as they intend to roll out the same change across all Wikimedia projects in early January. These changes are part of the work to replace the outdated [[mw:RESTBase/deprecation|RESTBase]] system.
* The [https://wikimediafoundation.limesurvey.net/986172 2024 Developer Satisfaction Survey] is seeking the opinions of the Wikimedia developer community. Please take the survey if you have any role in developing software for the Wikimedia ecosystem. The survey is open until 3 January 2025, and has an associated [[foundation:Legal:Developer Satisfaction Survey 2024 Privacy Statement|privacy statement]].
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week. [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar]
'''Meetings and events'''
* The next meeting in the series of [[c:Commons:WMF support for Commons/Commons community calls|Wikimedia Foundation discussions with the Wikimedia Commons community]] will take place on [[m:Event:Commons community discussion - 12 December 2024 08:00 UTC|December 12 at 8:00 UTC]] and [[m:Event:Commons community discussion - 12_December 2024 16:00 UTC|at 16:00 UTC]]. The topic of this call is new media and new contributors. Contributors from all wikis are welcome to attend.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/50|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W50"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 22:16, 9 December 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2024-51 ==
<section begin="technews-2024-W51"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/51|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* Interested in improving event management on your home wiki? The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/CampaignEvents|CampaignEvents extension]] offers organizers features like event registration management, event/wikiproject promotion, finding potential participants, and more - all directly on-wiki. If you are an organizer or think your community would benefit from this extension, start a discussion to enable it on your wiki today. To learn more about how to enable this extension on your wiki, visit the [[m:CampaignEvents/Deployment status#How to Request the CampaignEvents Extension for your wiki|deployment status page]].
'''Updates for editors'''
* Users of the iOS Wikipedia App in Italy and Mexico on the Italian, Spanish, and English Wikipedias, can see a [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Team/iOS/Personalized Wikipedia Year in Review|personalized Year in Review]] with insights based on their reading and editing history.
* Users of the Android Wikipedia App in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia can see the new [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Team/Android/Rabbit Holes|Rabbit Holes]] feature. This feature shows a suggested search term in the Search bar based on the current article being viewed, and a suggested reading list generated from the user’s last two visited articles.
* The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Global reminder bot|global reminder bot]] is now active and running on nearly 800 wikis. This service reminds most users holding temporary rights when they are about to expire, so that they can renew should they want to. See [[m:Global reminder bot/Technical details|the technical details page]] for more information.
* The next issue of Tech News will be sent out on 13 January 2025 because of the end of year holidays. Thank you to all of the translators, and people who submitted content or feedback, this year.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:27}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:27|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, a bug was [[phab:T374988|fixed]] in the Android Wikipedia App which had caused translatable SVG images to show the wrong language when they were tapped.
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* There is no new MediaWiki version next week. The next deployments will start on 14 January. [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deployments/Yearly_calendar/2025]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/51|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2024-W51"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 22:24, 16 December 2024 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-03 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W03"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/03|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* The Single User Login system is being updated over the next few months. This is the system which allows users to fill out the login form on one Wikimedia site and get logged in on all others at the same time. It needs to be updated because of the ways that browsers are increasingly restricting cross-domain cookies. To accommodate these restrictions, login and account creation pages will move to a central domain, but it will still appear to the user as if they are on the originating wiki. The updated code will be enabled this week for users on test wikis. This change is planned to roll out to all users during February and March. See [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/MediaWiki Platform Team/SUL3#Deployment|the SUL3 project page]] for more details and a timeline.
'''Updates for editors'''
* On wikis with [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:PageAssessments|PageAssessments]] installed, you can now [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:PageAssessments#Search|filter search results]] to pages in a given WikiProject by using the <code dir=ltr>inproject:</code> keyword. (These wikis: {{int:project-localized-name-arwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-enwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-enwikivoyage/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-frwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-huwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-newiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-trwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-zhwiki/en}}) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T378868]
* One new wiki has been created: a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikipedia}} in [[d:Q34129|Tigre]] ([[w:tig:|<code>w:tig:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T381377]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:35}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:35|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, there was a bug with updating a user's edit-count after making a rollback edit, which is now fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T382592]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] Wikimedia REST API users, such as bot operators and tool maintainers, may be affected by ongoing upgrades. Starting the week of January 13, we will begin rerouting [[phab:T374683|some page content endpoints]] from RESTbase to the newer MediaWiki REST API endpoints for all wiki projects. This change was previously available on testwiki and should not affect existing functionality, but active users of the impacted endpoints may raise issues directly to the [[phab:project/view/6931/|MediaWiki Interfaces Team]] in Phabricator if they arise.
* Toolforge tool maintainers can now share their feedback on Toolforge UI, an initiative to provide a web platform that allows creating and managing Toolforge tools through a graphic interface, in addition to existing command-line workflows. This project aims to streamline active maintainers’ tasks, as well as make registration and deployment processes more accessible for new tool creators. The initiative is still at a very early stage, and the Cloud Services team is in the process of collecting feedback from the Toolforge community to help shape the solution to their needs. [[wikitech:Wikimedia Cloud Services team/EnhancementProposals/Toolforge UI|Read more and share your thoughts about Toolforge UI]].
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] For tool and library developers who use the OAuth system: The identity endpoint used for [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/OAuth/For Developers#Identifying the user|OAuth 1]] and [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/OAuth/For Developers#Identifying the user 2|OAuth 2]] returned a JSON object with an integer in its <code>sub</code> field, which was incorrect (the field must always be a string). This has been fixed; the fix will be deployed to Wikimedia wikis on the week of January 13. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T382139]
* Many wikis currently use [[:mw:Parsoid/Parser Unification/Cite CSS|Cite CSS]] to render custom footnote markers in Parsoid output. Starting January 20 these rules will be disabled, but the developers ask you to ''not'' clean up your <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[MediaWiki:Common.css]]</bdi> until February 20 to avoid issues during the migration. Your wikis might experience some small changes to footnote markers in Visual Editor and when using experimental Parsoid read mode, but if there are changes these are expected to bring the rendering in line with the legacy parser output. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T370027]
'''Meetings and events'''
* The next meeting in the series of [[c:Special:MyLanguage/Commons:WMF support for Commons/Commons community calls|Wikimedia Foundation Community Conversations with the Wikimedia Commons community]] will take place on [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Event:Commons community discussion - 15 January 2025 08:00 UTC|January 15 at 8:00 UTC]] and [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Event:Commons community discussion - 15 January 2025 16:00 UTC|at 16:00 UTC]]. The topic of this call is defining the priorities in tool investment for Commons. Contributors from all wikis, especially users who are maintaining tools for Commons, are welcome to attend.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/03|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W03"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 01:42, 14 January 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-04 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W04"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/04|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* Administrators can mass-delete multiple pages created by a user or IP address using [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Nuke|Extension:Nuke]]. It previously only allowed deletion of pages created in the last 30 days. It can now delete pages from the last 90 days, provided it is targeting a specific user or IP address. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T380846]
* On [[phab:P72148|wikis that use]] the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Patrolled edits|Patrolled edits]] feature, when the rollback feature is used to revert an unpatrolled page revision, that revision will now be marked as "manually patrolled" instead of "autopatrolled", which is more accurate. Some editors that use [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:New filters for edit review/Filtering|filters]] on Recent Changes may need to update their filter settings. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T302140]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:31}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:31|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the Visual Editor's "Insert link" feature did not always suggest existing pages properly when an editor started typing, which has now been [[phab:T383497|fixed]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* The Structured Discussion extension (also known as Flow) is being progressively removed from the wikis. This extension is unmaintained and causes issues. It will be replaced by [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools|DiscussionTools]], which is used on any regular talk page. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Structured Discussions/Deprecation#Deprecation timeline|The last group of wikis]] ({{int:project-localized-name-cawikiquote/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-fiwikimedia/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-gomwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-kabwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-ptwikibooks/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-sewikimedia/en}}) will soon be contacted. If you have questions about this process, please ping [[m:User:Trizek (WMF)|Trizek (WMF)]] at your wiki. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T380912]
* The latest quarterly [[mw:Technical_Community_Newsletter/2025/January|Technical Community Newsletter]] is now available. This edition includes: updates about services from the Data Platform Engineering teams, information about Codex from the Design System team, and more.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/04|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W04"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 01:36, 21 January 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-05 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W05"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/05|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* Patrollers and admins - what information or context about edits or users could help you to make patroller or admin decisions more quickly or easily? The Wikimedia Foundation wants to hear from you to help guide its upcoming annual plan. Please consider sharing your thoughts on this and [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2025-2026/Product & Technology OKRs|13 other questions]] to shape the technical direction for next year.
'''Updates for editors'''
* iOS Wikipedia App users worldwide can now access a [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Team/iOS/Personalized Wikipedia Year in Review/How your data is used|personalized Year in Review]] feature, which provides insights based on their reading and editing history on Wikipedia. This project is part of a broader effort to help welcome new readers as they discover and interact with encyclopedic content.
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Wishlist item]] Edit patrollers now have a new feature available that can highlight potentially problematic new pages. When a page is created with the same title as a page which was previously deleted, a tag ('Recreated') will now be added, which users can filter for in [[{{#special:RecentChanges}}]] and [[{{#special:NewPages}}]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T56145]
* Later this week, there will be a new warning for editors if they attempt to create a redirect that links to another redirect (a [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Redirects#Double redirects|double redirect]]). The feature will recommend that they link directly to the second redirect's target page. Thanks to the user SomeRandomDeveloper for this improvement. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T326056]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] Wikimedia wikis allow [[w:en:WebAuthn|WebAuthn]]-based second factor checks (such as hardware tokens) during login, but the feature is [[m:Community Wishlist Survey 2023/Miscellaneous/Fix security key (WebAuthn) support|fragile]] and has very few users. The MediaWiki Platform team is temporarily disabling adding new WebAuthn keys, to avoid interfering with the rollout of [[mw:MediaWiki Platform Team/SUL3|SUL3]] (single user login version 3). Existing keys are unaffected. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T378402]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:30}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:30|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* For developers that use the [[wikitech:Data Platform/Data Lake/Edits/MediaWiki history dumps|MediaWiki History dumps]]: The Data Platform Engineering team has added a couple of new fields to these dumps, to support the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts|Temporary Accounts]] initiative. If you maintain software that reads those dumps, please review your code and the updated documentation, since the order of the fields in the row will change. There will also be one field rename: in the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>mediawiki_user_history</code></bdi> dump, the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>anonymous</code></bdi> field will be renamed to <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>is_anonymous</code></bdi>. The changes will take effect with the next release of the dumps in February. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/LKMFDS62TXGDN6L56F4ABXYLN7CSCQDI/]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/05|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W05"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 22:14, 27 January 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-06 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W06"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/06|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* Editors who use the "Special characters" editing-toolbar menu can now see the 32 special characters you have used most recently, across editing sessions on that wiki. This change should help make it easier to find the characters you use most often. The feature is in both the 2010 wikitext editor and VisualEditor. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T110722]
* Editors using the 2010 wikitext editor can now create sublists with correct indentation by selecting the line(s) you want to indent and then clicking the toolbar buttons.[https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T380438] You can now also insert <code><nowiki><code></nowiki></code> tags using a new toolbar button.[https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T383010] Thanks to user stjn for these improvements.
* Help is needed to ensure the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Citoid/Enabling Citoid on your wiki|citation generator]] works properly on each wiki.
** (1) Administrators should update the local versions of the page <code dir=ltr>MediaWiki:Citoid-template-type-map.json</code> to include entries for <code dir=ltr>preprint</code>, <code dir=ltr>standard</code>, and <code dir=ltr>dataset</code>; Here are example diffs to replicate [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MediaWiki%3ACitoid-template-type-map.json&diff=1189164774&oldid=1165783565 for 'preprint'] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MediaWiki%3ACitoid-template-type-map.json&diff=1270832208&oldid=1270828390 for 'standard' and 'dataset'].
** (2.1) If the citoid map in the citation template used for these types of references is missing, [[mediawikiwiki:Citoid/Enabling Citoid on your wiki#Step 2.a: Create a 'citoid' maps value for each citation template|one will need to be added]]. (2.2) If the citoid map does exist, the TemplateData will need to be updated to include new field names. Here are example updates [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template%3ACitation%2Fdoc&diff=1270829051&oldid=1262470053 for 'preprint'] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template%3ACitation%2Fdoc&diff=1270831369&oldid=1270829480 for 'standard' and 'dataset']. The new fields that may need to be supported are <code dir=ltr>archiveID</code>, <code dir=ltr>identifier</code>, <code dir=ltr>repository</code>, <code dir=ltr>organization</code>, <code dir=ltr>repositoryLocation</code>, <code dir=ltr>committee</code>, and <code dir=ltr>versionNumber</code>. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T383666]
* One new wiki has been created: a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikipedia/en}} in [[d:Q15637215|Central Kanuri]] ([[w:knc:|<code>w:knc:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T385181]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:27}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:27|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the [[mediawikiwiki:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Wikisource/Wikimedia OCR|OCR (optical character recognition) tool]] used for Wikisource now supports a new language, Church Slavonic. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T384782]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/06|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W06"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:09, 4 February 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-07 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W07"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/07|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* The Product and Technology Advisory Council (PTAC) has published [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Product and Technology Advisory Council/February 2025 draft PTAC recommendation for feedback|a draft of their recommendations]] for the Wikimedia Foundation's Product and Technology department. They have recommended focusing on [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Product and Technology Advisory Council/February 2025 draft PTAC recommendation for feedback/Mobile experiences|mobile experiences]], particularly contributions. They request community [[m:Talk:Product and Technology Advisory Council/February 2025 draft PTAC recommendation for feedback|feedback at the talk page]] by 21 February.
'''Updates for editors'''
* The "Special pages" portlet link will be moved from the "Toolbox" into the "Navigation" section of the main menu's sidebar by default. This change is because the Toolbox is intended for tools relating to the current page, not tools relating to the site, so the link will be more logically and consistently located. To modify this behavior and update CSS styling, administrators can follow the instructions at [[phab:T385346|T385346]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T333211]
* As part of this year's work around improving the ways readers discover content on the wikis, the Web team will be running an experiment with a small number of readers that displays some suggestions for related or interesting articles within the search bar. Please check out [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Content Discovery Experiments#Experiment 1: Display article recommendations in more prominent locations, search|the project page]] for more information.
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] Template editors who use TemplateStyles can now customize output for users with specific accessibility needs by using accessibility related media queries (<code dir=ltr>[https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/@media/prefers-reduced-motion prefers-reduced-motion]</code>, <code dir=ltr>[https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/@media/prefers-reduced-transparency prefers-reduced-transparency]</code>, <code dir=ltr>[https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/@media/prefers-contrast prefers-contrast]</code>, and <code dir=ltr>[https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/@media/forced-colors forced-colors]</code>). Thanks to user Bawolff for these improvements. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T384175]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:22}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:22|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the global blocks log will now be shown directly on the {{#special:CentralAuth}} page, similarly to global locks, to simplify the workflows for stewards. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T377024]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Wikidata [[d:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Default values for labels and aliases|now supports a special language as a "default for all languages"]] for labels and aliases. This is to avoid excessive duplication of the same information across many languages. If your Wikidata queries use labels, you may need to update them as some existing labels are getting removed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T312511]
* The function <code dir="ltr">getDescription</code> was invoked on every Wiki page read and accounts for ~2.5% of a page's total load time. The calculated value will now be cached, reducing load on Wikimedia servers. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T383660]
* As part of the RESTBase deprecation [[mw:RESTBase/deprecation|effort]], the <code dir="ltr">/page/related</code> endpoint has been blocked as of February 6, 2025, and will be removed soon. This timeline was chosen to align with the deprecation schedules for older Android and iOS versions. The stable alternative is the "<code dir="ltr">morelike</code>" action API in MediaWiki, and [[gerrit:c/mediawiki/services/mobileapps/+/982154/13/pagelib/src/transform/FooterReadMore.js|a migration example]] is available. The MediaWiki Interfaces team [[phab:T376297|can be contacted]] for any questions. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/GFC2IJO7L4BWO3YTM7C5HF4MCCBE2RJ2/]
'''In depth'''
* The latest quarterly [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Language and Product Localization/Newsletter/2025/January|Language and Internationalization newsletter]] is available. It includes: Updates about the "Contribute" menu; details on some of the newest language editions of Wikipedia; details on new languages supported by the MediaWiki interface; updates on the Community-defined lists feature; and more.
* The latest [[mw:Extension:Chart/Project/Updates#January 2025: Better visibility into charts and tabular data usage|Chart Project newsletter]] is available. It includes updates on the progress towards bringing better visibility into global charts usage and support for categorizing pages in the Data namespace on Commons.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/07|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W07"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:12, 11 February 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-08 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W08"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/08|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* Communities using growth tools can now showcase one event on the <code>{{#special:Homepage}}</code> for newcomers. This feature will help newcomers to be informed about editing activities they can participate in. Administrators can create a new event to showcase at <code>{{#special:CommunityConfiguration}}</code>. To learn more about this feature, please read [[diffblog:2025/02/12/community-updates-module-connecting-newcomers-to-your-initiatives/|the Diff post]], have a look [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Tools/Community updates module|at the documentation]], or contact [[mw:Talk:Growth|the Growth team]].
'''Updates for editors'''
[[File:Page Frame Features on desktop.png|thumb|Highlighted talk pages improvements]]
* Starting next week, talk pages at these wikis – {{int:project-localized-name-eswiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-frwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-itwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-jawiki/en}} – will get [[diffblog:2024/05/02/making-talk-pages-better-for-everyone/|a new design]]. This change was extensively tested as a Beta feature and is the last step of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project/Feature summary|talk pages improvements]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T379102]
* You can now navigate to view a redirect page directly from its action pages, such as the history page. Previously, you were forced to first go to the redirect target. This change should help editors who work with redirects a lot. Thanks to user stjn for this improvement. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T5324]
* When a Cite reference is reused many times, wikis currently show either numbers like "1.23" or localized alphabetic markers like "a b c" in the reference list. Previously, if there were so many reuses that the alphabetic markers were all used, [[MediaWiki:Cite error references no backlink label|an error message]] was displayed. As part of the work to [[phab:T383036|modernize Cite customization]], these errors will no longer be shown and instead the backlinks will fall back to showing numeric markers like "1.23" once the alphabetic markers are all used.
* The log entries for each change to an editor's user-groups are now clearer by specifying exactly what has changed, instead of the plain before and after listings. Translators can [[phab:T369466|help to update the localized versions]]. Thanks to user Msz2001 for these improvements.
* A new filter has been added to the [[{{#special:Nuke}}]] tool, which allows administrators to mass delete pages, to enable users to filter for pages in a range of page sizes (in bytes). This allows, for example, deleting pages only of a certain size or below. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T378488]
* Non-administrators can now check which pages are able to be deleted using the [[{{#special:Nuke}}]] tool. Thanks to user MolecularPilot for this and the previous improvements. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T376378]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:25}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:25|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, a bug was fixed in the configuration for the AV1 video file format, which enables these files to play again. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T382193]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Parsoid Read Views is going to be rolling out to most Wiktionaries over the next few weeks, following the successful transition of Wikivoyage to Parsoid Read Views last year. For more information, see the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Parsoid/Parser Unification|Parsoid/Parser Unification]] project page. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T385923][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T371640]
* Developers of tools that run on-wiki should note that <code dir=ltr>mw.Uri</code> is deprecated. Tools requiring <code dir=ltr>mw.Uri</code> must explicitly declare <code dir=ltr>mediawiki.Uri</code> as a ResourceLoader dependency, and should migrate to the browser native <code dir=ltr>URL</code> API soon. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T384515]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/08|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W08"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 21:16, 17 February 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-09 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W09"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/09|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* Administrators can now customize how the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User language|Babel feature]] creates categories using [[{{#special:CommunityConfiguration/Babel}}]]. They can rename language categories, choose whether they should be auto-created, and adjust other settings. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T374348]
* The <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[https://www.wikimedia.org/ wikimedia.org]</bdi> portal has been updated – and is receiving some ongoing improvements – to modernize and improve the accessibility of our portal pages. It now has better support for mobile layouts, updated wording and links, and better language support. Additionally, all of the Wikimedia project portals, such as <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[https://wikibooks.org wikibooks.org]</bdi>, now support dark mode when a reader is using that system setting. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T373204][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T368221][https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Project_portals]
* One new wiki has been created: a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wiktionary/en}} in [[d:Q33965|Santali]] ([[wikt:sat:|<code>wikt:sat:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T386619]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:30}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:30|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, a bug was fixed that prevented clicking on search results in the web-interface for some Firefox for Android phone configurations. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T381289]
'''Meetings and events'''
* The next Language Community Meeting is happening soon, February 28th at [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1740751200 14:00 UTC]. This week's meeting will cover: highlights and technical updates on keyboard and tools for the Sámi languages, Translatewiki.net contributions from the Bahasa Lampung community in Indonesia, and technical Q&A. If you'd like to join, simply [[mw:Wikimedia Language and Product Localization/Community meetings#28 February 2025|sign up on the wiki page]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/09|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W09"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:41, 25 February 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-10 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W10"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/10|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* All logged-in editors using the mobile view can now edit a full page. The "{{int:Minerva-page-actions-editfull}}" link is accessible from the "{{int:minerva-page-actions-overflow}}" menu in the toolbar. This was previously only available to editors using the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Advanced mobile contributions|Advanced mobile contributions]] setting. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T387180]
* Interface administrators can now help to remove the deprecated Cite CSS code matching "<code dir="ltr">mw-ref</code>" from their local <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[MediaWiki:Common.css]]</bdi>. The list of wikis in need of cleanup, and the code to remove, [https://global-search.toolforge.org/?q=mw-ref%5B%5E-a-z%5D®ex=1&namespaces=8&title=.*css can be found with this global search] and in [https://ace.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MediaWiki:Common.css&oldid=145662#L-139--L-144 this example], and you can learn more about how to help on the [[mw:Parsoid/Parser Unification/Cite CSS|CSS migration project page]]. The Cite footnote markers ("<code dir="ltr">[1]</code>") are now rendered by [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Parsoid|Parsoid]], and the deprecated CSS is no longer needed. The CSS for backlinks ("<code dir="ltr">mw:referencedBy</code>") should remain in place for now. This cleanup is expected to cause no visible changes for readers. Please help to remove this code before March 20, after which the development team will do it for you.
* When editors embed a file (e.g. <code><nowiki>[[File:MediaWiki.png]]</nowiki></code>) on a page that is protected with cascading protection, the software will no longer restrict edits to the file description page, only to new file uploads.[https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T24521] In contrast, transcluding a file description page (e.g. <code><nowiki>{{:File:MediaWiki.png}}</nowiki></code>) will now restrict edits to the page.[https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T62109]
* When editors revert a file to an earlier version it will now require the same permissions as ordinarily uploading a new version of the file. The software now checks for 'reupload' or 'reupload-own' rights,[https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T304474] and respects cascading protection.[https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T140010]
* When administrators are listing pages for deletion with the Nuke tool, they can now also list associated talk pages and redirects for deletion, alongside pages created by the target, rather than needing to manually delete these pages afterwards. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T95797]
* The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/03|previously noted]] update to Single User Login, which will accommodate browser restrictions on cross-domain cookies by moving login and account creation to a central domain, will now roll out to all users during March and April. The team plans to enable it for all new account creation on [[wikitech:Deployments/Train#Tuesday|Group0]] wikis this week. See [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/MediaWiki Platform Team/SUL3#Deployment|the SUL3 project page]] for more details and an updated timeline.
* Since last week there has been a bug that shows some interface icons as black squares until the page has fully loaded. It will be fixed this week. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T387351]
* One new wiki has been created: a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikipedia/en}} in [[d:Q2044560|Sylheti]] ([[w:syl:|<code>w:syl:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T386441]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:23}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:23|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, a bug was fixed with loading images in very old versions of the Firefox browser on mobile. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T386400]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.44/wmf.19|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/10|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W10"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 02:30, 4 March 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-11 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W11"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/11|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* Editors who use password managers at multiple wikis may notice changes in the future. The way that our wikis provide information to password managers about reusing passwords across domains has recently been updated, so some password managers might now offer you login credentials that you saved for a different Wikimedia site. Some password managers already did this, and are now doing it for more Wikimedia domains. This is part of the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/MediaWiki Platform Team/SUL3|SUL3 project]] which aims to improve how our unified login works, and to keep it compatible with ongoing changes to the web-browsers we use. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T385520][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T384844]
* The Wikipedia Apps Team is inviting interested users to help improve Wikipedia’s offline and limited internet use. After discussions in [[m:Afrika Baraza|Afrika Baraza]] and the last [[m:Special:MyLanguage/ESEAP Hub/Meetings|ESEAP call]], key challenges like search, editing, and offline access are being explored, with upcoming focus groups to dive deeper into these topics. All languages are welcome, and interpretation will be available. Want to share your thoughts? [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Improving Wikipedia Mobile Apps for Offline & Limited Internet Use|Join the discussion]] or email <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">aramadan@wikimedia.org</bdi>!
* All wikis will be read-only for a few minutes on March 19. This is planned at [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1742392800 14:00 UTC]. More information will be published in Tech News and will also be posted on individual wikis in the coming weeks.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:27}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:27|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.44/wmf.20|MediaWiki]]
'''In depth'''
* The latest quarterly [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Newsletters/33|Growth newsletter]] is available. It includes: the launch of the Community Updates module, the most recent changes in Community Configuration, and the upcoming test of in-article suggestions for first-time editors.
* An old API that was previously used in the Android Wikipedia app is being removed at the end of March. There are no current software uses, but users of the app with a version that is older than 6 months by the time of removal (2025-03-31), will no longer have access to the Suggested Edits feature, until they update their app. You can [[diffblog:2025/02/24/sunset-of-wikimedia-recommendation-api/|read more details about this change]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/11|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W11"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:09, 10 March 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-12 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W12"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/12|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* Twice a year, around the equinoxes, the Wikimedia Foundation's Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) team performs [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/Server switch|a datacenter server switchover]], redirecting all traffic from one primary server to its backup. This provides reliability in case of a crisis, as we can always fall back on the other datacenter. [http://listen.hatnote.com/ Thanks to the Listen to Wikipedia] tool, you can hear the switchover take place: Before it begins, you'll hear the steady stream of edits; Then, as the system enters a brief read-only phase, the sound stops for a couple of minutes, before resuming after the switchover. You can [[diffblog:2025/03/12/hear-that-the-wikis-go-silent-twice-a-year/|read more about the background and details of this process on the Diff blog]]. If you want to keep an ear out for the next server switchover, listen to the wikis on [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1742392800 March 19 at 14:00 UTC].
'''Updates for editors'''
* The [https://test.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:ContentTranslation&filter-type=automatic&filter-id=previous-edits&active-list=suggestions&from=en&to=es improved Content Translation tool dashboard] is now available in [[phab:T387820|10 Wikipedias]] and will be available for all Wikipedias [[phab:T387821|soon]]. With [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Content translation#Improved translation experience|the unified dashboard]], desktop users can now: Translate new sections of an article; Discover and access topic-based [https://ig.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:ContentTranslation&active-list=suggestions&from=en&to=ig&filter-type=automatic&filter-id=previous-edits article suggestion filters] (initially available only for mobile device users); Discover and access the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Translation suggestions: Topic-based & Community-defined lists|Community-defined lists]] filter, also known as "Collections", from wiki-projects and campaigns.
* On Wikimedia Commons, a [[c:Commons:WMF support for Commons/Upload Wizard Improvements#Improve category selection|new system to select the appropriate file categories]] has been introduced: if a category has one or more subcategories, users will be able to click on an arrow that will open the subcategories directly within the form, and choose the correct one. The parent category name will always be shown on top, and it will always be possible to come back to it. This should decrease the amount of work for volunteers in fixing/creating new categories. The change is also available on mobile. These changes are part of planned improvements to the UploadWizard.
* The Community Tech team is seeking wikis to join a pilot for the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey 2023/Multiblocks|Multiblocks]] feature and a refreshed Special:Block page in late March. Multiblocks enables administrators to impose multiple different types of blocks on the same user at the same time. If you are an admin or steward and would like us to discuss joining the pilot with your community, please leave a message on the [[m:Talk:Community Wishlist Survey 2023/Multiblocks|project talk page]].
* Starting March 25, the Editing team will test a new feature for Edit Check at [[phab:T384372|12 Wikipedias]]: [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Edit check#Multi-check|Multi-Check]]. Half of the newcomers on these wikis will see all [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Edit check#ref|Reference Checks]] during their edit session, while the other half will continue seeing only one. The goal of this test is to see if users are confused or discouraged when shown multiple Reference Checks (when relevant) within a single editing session. At these wikis, the tags used on edits that show References Check will be simplified, as multiple tags could be shown within a single edit. Changes to the tags are documented [[phab:T373949|on Phabricator]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T379131]
* The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Global reminder bot|Global reminder bot]], which is a service for notifying users that their temporary user-rights are about to expire, now supports using the localized name of the user-rights group in the message heading. Translators can see the [[m:Global reminder bot/Translation|listing of existing translations and documentation]] to check if their language needs updating or creation.
* The [[Special:GlobalPreferences|GlobalPreferences]] gender setting, which is used for how the software should refer to you in interface messages, now works as expected by overriding the local defaults. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T386584]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:26}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:26|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the Wikipedia App for Android had a bug fixed for when a user is browsing and searching in multiple languages. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T379777]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Later this week, the way that Codex styles are loaded will be changing. There is a small risk that this may result in unstyled interface message boxes on certain pages. User generated content (e.g. templates) is not impacted. Gadgets may be impacted. If you see any issues [[phab:T388847|please report them]]. See the linked task for details, screenshots, and documentation on how to fix any affected gadgets.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.44/wmf.21|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/12|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W12"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:48, 17 March 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-13 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W13"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/13|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* The Wikimedia Foundation is seeking your feedback on the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2025-2026/Product & Technology OKRs|drafts of the objectives and key results that will shape the Foundation's Product and Technology priorities]] for the next fiscal year (starting in July). The objectives are broad high-level areas, and the key-results are measurable ways to track the success of their objectives. Please share your feedback on the talkpage, in any language, ideally before the end of April.
'''Updates for editors'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CampaignEvents|CampaignEvents extension]] will be released to multiple wikis (see [[m:Special:MyLanguage/CampaignEvents/Deployment status#Global Deployment Plan|deployment plan]] for details) in April 2025, and the team has begun the process of engaging communities on the identified wikis. The extension provides tools to organize, manage, and promote collaborative activities (like events, edit-a-thons, and WikiProjects) on the wikis. The extension has three tools: [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Event Center/Registration|Event Registration]], [[m:Special:MyLanguage/CampaignEvents/Collaboration list|Collaboration List]], and [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Campaigns/Foundation Product Team/Invitation list|Invitation Lists]]. It is currently on 13 Wikipedias, including English Wikipedia, French Wikipedia, and Spanish Wikipedia, as well as Wikidata. Questions or requests can be directed to the [[mw:Help talk:Extension:CampaignEvents|extension talk page]] or in Phabricator (with <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr" style="white-space: nowrap;">#campaigns-product-team</bdi> tag).
* Starting the week of March 31st, wikis will be able to set which user groups can view private registrants in [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Event Center/Registration|Event Registration]], as part of the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CampaignEvents|CampaignEvents]] extension. By default, event organizers and the local wiki admins will be able to see private registrants. This is a change from the current behavior, in which only event organizers can see private registrants. Wikis can change the default setup by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Requesting wiki configuration changes|requesting a configuration change]] in Phabricator (and adding the <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr" style="white-space: nowrap;">#campaigns-product-team</bdi> tag). Participants of past events can cancel their registration at any time.
* Administrators at wikis that have a customized <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[MediaWiki:Sidebar]]</bdi> should check that it contains an entry for the {{int:specialpages}} listing. If it does not, they should add it using <code dir=ltr style="white-space: nowrap;">* specialpages-url|specialpages</code>. Wikis with a default sidebar will see the link moved from the page toolbox into the sidebar menu in April. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T388927]
* The Minerva skin (mobile web) combines both Notice and Alert notifications within the bell icon ([[File:OOjs UI icon bell.svg|16px|link=|class=skin-invert]]). There was a long-standing bug where an indication for new notifications was only shown if you had unseen Alerts. This bug is now fixed. In the future, Minerva users will notice a counter atop the bell icon when you have 1 or more unseen Notices and/or Alerts. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T344029]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:23}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:23|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* VisualEditor has introduced a [[mw:VisualEditor/Hooks|new client-side hook]] for developers to use when integrating with the VisualEditor target lifecycle. This hook should replace the existing lifecycle-related hooks, and be more consistent between different platforms. In addition, the new hook will apply to uses of VisualEditor outside of just full article editing, allowing gadgets to interact with the editor in DiscussionTools as well. The Editing Team intends to deprecate and eventually remove the old lifecycle hooks, so any use cases that this new hook does not cover would be of interest to them and can be [[phab:T355555|shared in the task]].
* Developers who use the <code dir=ltr>mw.Api</code> JavaScript library, can now identify the tool using it with the <code dir=ltr>userAgent</code> parameter: <code dir=ltr>var api = new mw.Api( { userAgent: 'GadgetNameHere/1.0.1' } );</code>. If you maintain a gadget or user script, please set a user agent, because it helps with library and server maintenance and with differentiating between legitimate and illegitimate traffic. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T373874][https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Policy:Wikimedia_Foundation_User-Agent_Policy]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.44/wmf.22|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/13|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W13"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 22:42, 24 March 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-14 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W14"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/14|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* The Editing team is working on a new [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Edit Check|Edit check]]: [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Edit check#26 March 2025|Peacock check]]. This check's goal is to identify non-neutral terms while a user is editing a wikipage, so that they can be informed that their edit should perhaps be changed before they publish it. This project is at the early stages, and the team is looking for communities' input: [[phab:T389445|in this Phabricator task]], they are gathering on-wiki policies, templates used to tag non-neutral articles, and the terms (jargon and keywords) used in edit summaries for the languages they are currently researching. You can participate by editing the table on Phabricator, commenting on the task, or directly messaging [[m:user:Trizek (WMF)|Trizek (WMF)]].
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/MediaWiki Platform Team/SUL3|Single User Login]] has now been updated on all wikis to move login and account creation to a central domain. This makes user login compatible with browser restrictions on cross-domain cookies, which have prevented users of some browsers from staying logged in.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:35}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:35|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Starting on March 31st, the MediaWiki Interfaces team will begin a limited release of generated OpenAPI specs and a SwaggerUI-based sandbox experience for [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/API:REST API|MediaWiki REST APIs]]. They invite developers from a limited group of non-English Wikipedia communities (Arabic, German, French, Hebrew, Interlingua, Dutch, Chinese) to review the documentation and experiment with the sandbox in their preferred language. In addition to these specific Wikipedia projects, the sandbox and OpenAPI spec will be available on the [[testwiki:Special:RestSandbox|on the test wiki REST Sandbox special page]] for developers with English as their preferred language. During the preview period, the MediaWiki Interfaces Team also invites developers to [[mw:MediaWiki Interfaces Team/Feature Feedback/REST Sandbox|share feedback about your experience]]. The preview will last for approximately 2 weeks, after which the sandbox and OpenAPI specs will be made available across all wiki projects.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.44/wmf.23|MediaWiki]]
'''In depth'''
* Sometimes a small, [[gerrit:c/operations/cookbooks/+/1129184|one line code change]] can have great significance: in this case, it means that for the first time in years we're able to run all of the stack serving <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[http://maps.wikimedia.org/ maps.wikimedia.org]</bdi> - a host dedicated to serving our wikis and their multi-lingual maps needs - from a single core datacenter, something we test every time we perform a [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/Server switch|datacenter switchover]]. This is important because it means that in case one of our datacenters is affected by a catastrophe, we'll still be able to serve the site. This change is the result of [[phab:T216826|extensive work]] by two developers on porting the last component of the maps stack over to [[w:en:Kubernetes|kubernetes]], where we can allocate resources more efficiently than before, thus we're able to withstand more traffic in a single datacenter. This work involved a lot of complicated steps because this software, and the software libraries it uses, required many long overdue upgrades. This type of work makes the Wikimedia infrastructure more sustainable.
'''Meetings and events'''
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/MediaWiki Users and Developers Workshop Spring 2025|MediaWiki Users and Developers Workshop Spring 2025]] is happening in Sandusky, USA, and online, from 14–16 May 2025. The workshop will feature discussions around the usage of MediaWiki software by and within companies in different industries and will inspire and onboard new users. Registration and presentation signup is now available at the workshop's website.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/14|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W14"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:05, 1 April 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-15 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W15"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/15|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* From now on, [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Interface administrators|interface admins]] and [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Central notice administrators|centralnotice admins]] are technically required to enable [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Two-factor authentication|two-factor authentication]] before they can use their privileges. In the future this might be expanded to more groups with advanced user-rights. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T150898]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:20}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:20|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* The Design System Team is preparing to release the next major version of Codex (v2.0.0) on April 29. Editors and developers who use CSS from Codex should see the [[mw:Codex/Release Timeline/2.0|2.0 overview documentation]], which includes guidance related to a few of the breaking changes such as <code dir=ltr style="white-space: nowrap;">font-size</code>, <code dir=ltr style="white-space: nowrap;">line-height</code>, and <code dir=ltr style="white-space: nowrap;">size-icon</code>.
* The results of the [[mw:Developer Satisfaction Survey/2025|Developer Satisfaction Survey (2025)]] are now available. Thank you to all participants. These results help the Foundation decide what to work on next and to review what they recently worked on.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.44/wmf.24|MediaWiki]]
'''Meetings and events'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Hackathon 2025|2025 Wikimedia Hackathon]] will take place in Istanbul, Turkey, between 2–4 May. Registration for attending the in-person event will close on 13 April. Before registering, please note the potential need for a [https://www.mfa.gov.tr/turkish-representations.en.mfa visa] or [https://www.mfa.gov.tr/visa-information-for-foreigners.en.mfa e-visa] to enter the country.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/15|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W15"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 18:52, 7 April 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-16 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W16"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/16|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* Later this week, the default thumbnail size will be increased from 220px to 250px. This changes how pages are shown in all wikis and has been requested by some communities for many years, but wasn't previously possible due to technical limitations. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T355914]
* File thumbnails are now stored in discrete sizes. If a page specifies a thumbnail size that's not among the standard sizes (20, 40, 60, 120, 250, 330, 500, 960), then MediaWiki will pick the closest larger thumbnail size but will tell the browser to downscale it to the requested size. In these cases, nothing will change visually but users might load slightly larger images. If it doesn't matter which thumbnail size is used in a page, please pick one of the standard sizes to avoid the extra in-browser down-scaling step. [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Help:Images#Thumbnail_sizes][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T355914]
'''Updates for editors'''
* The Wikimedia Foundation are working on a system called [[m:Edge Uniques|Edge Uniques]] which will enable [[:w:en:A/B testing|A/B testing]], help protect against [[:w:en:Denial-of-service attack|Distributed denial-of-service attacks]] (DDoS attacks), and make it easier to understand how many visitors the Wikimedia sites have. This is so that they can more efficiently build tools which help readers, and make it easier for readers to find what they are looking for.
* To improve security for users, a small percentage of logins will now require that the account owner input a one-time password [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:EmailAuth|emailed to their account]]. It is recommended that you [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-personal-email|check]] that the email address on your account is set correctly, and that it has been confirmed, and that you have an email set for this purpose. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T390662]
* "Are you interested in taking a short survey to improve tools used for reviewing or reverting edits on your Wiki?" This question will be [[phab:T389401|asked at 7 wikis starting next week]], on Recent Changes and Watchlist pages. The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Moderator Tools|Moderator Tools team]] wants to know more about activities that involve looking at new edits made to your Wikimedia project, and determining whether they adhere to your project's policies.
* On April 15, the full Wikidata graph will no longer be supported on <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr">[https://query.wikidata.org/ query.wikidata.org]</bdi>. After this date, scholarly articles will be available through <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr" style="white-space:nowrap;">[https://query-scholarly.wikidata.org/ query-scholarly.wikidata.org]</bdi>, while the rest of the data hosted on Wikidata will be available through the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr">[https://query.wikidata.org/ query.wikidata.org]</bdi> endpoint. This is part of the scheduled split of the Wikidata Graph, which was [[d:Special:MyLanguage/Wikidata:SPARQL query service/WDQS backend update/September 2024 scaling update|announced in September 2024]]. More information is [[d:Wikidata:SPARQL query service/WDQS graph split|available on Wikidata]].
* The latest quarterly [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Newsletter/First quarter of 2025|Wikimedia Apps Newsletter]] is now available. It covers updates, experiments, and improvements made to the Wikipedia mobile apps.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:30}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:30|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* The latest quarterly [[mw:Technical Community Newsletter/2025/April|Technical Community Newsletter]] is now available. This edition includes: an invitation for tool maintainers to attend the Toolforge UI Community Feedback Session on April 15th; recent community metrics; and recent technical blog posts.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.44/wmf.25|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/16|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W16"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:24, 15 April 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-17 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W17"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/17|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* [[f:Special:MyLanguage/Wikifunctions:Main Page|Wikifunctions]] is now integrated with [[w:dag:Solɔɣu|Dagbani Wikipedia]] since April 15. It is the first project that will be able to call [[f:Special:MyLanguage/Wikifunctions:Introduction|functions from Wikifunctions]] and integrate them in articles. A function is something that takes one or more inputs and transforms them into a desired output, such as adding up two numbers, converting miles into metres, calculating how much time has passed since an event, or declining a word into a case. Wikifunctions will allow users to do that through a simple call of [[f:Special:MyLanguage/Wikifunctions:Catalogue|a stable and global function]], rather than via a local template. [https://www.wikifunctions.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikifunctions:Status_updates/2025-04-16]
* A new type of lint error has been created: [[Special:LintErrors/empty-heading|{{int:linter-category-empty-heading}}]] ([[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Lint errors/empty-heading|documentation]]). The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Linter|Linter extension]]'s purpose is to identify wikitext patterns that must or can be fixed in pages and provide some guidance about what the problems are with those patterns and how to fix them. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T368722]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:37}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:37|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Following its publication on HuggingFace, the "Structured Contents" dataset, developed by Wikimedia Enterprise, is [https://enterprise.wikimedia.com/blog/kaggle-dataset/ now also available on Kaggle]. This Beta initiative is focused on making Wikimedia data more machine-readable for high-volume reusers. They are releasing this beta version in a location that open dataset communities already use, in order to seek feedback, to help improve the product for a future wider release. You can read more about the overall [https://enterprise.wikimedia.com/blog/structured-contents-snapshot-api/#open-datasets Structured Contents project], and about the [https://enterprise.wikimedia.com/blog/structured-contents-wikipedia-infobox/ first release that's freely usable].
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week.
'''Meetings and events'''
* The Editing and Machine Learning Teams invite interested volunteers to a video meeting to discuss [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Edit check/Peacock check|Peacock check]], which is the latest [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Edit check|Edit check]] that will detect "peacock" or "overly-promotional" or "non-neutral" language whilst an editor is typing. Editors who work with newcomers, or help to fix this kind of writing, or are interested in how we use artificial intelligence in our projects are encouraged to attend. The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Editing team/Community Conversations#Next Conversation|meeting will be on April 28, 2025]] at [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1745863200 18:00–19:00 UTC] and hosted on Zoom.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/17|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W17"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 21:00, 21 April 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-18 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W18"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/18|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* Event organizers who host collaborative activities on [[m:Special:MyLanguage/CampaignEvents/Deployment status#Global Deployment Plan|multiple wikis]], including Bengali, Japanese, and Korean Wikipedias, will have access to the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CampaignEvents|CampaignEvents extension]] this week. Also, admins in the Wikipedia where the extension is enabled will automatically be granted the event organizer right soon. They won't have to manually grant themselves the right before they can manage events as [[phab:T386861|requested by a community]].
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:19}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:19|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* The release of the next major version of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Codex|Codex]], the design system for Wikimedia, is scheduled for 29 April 2025. Technical editors will have access to the release by the week of 5 May 2025. This update will include a number of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Codex/Release_Timeline/2.0#Breaking_changes|breaking changes]] and minor [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Codex/Release_Timeline/2.0#Visual_changes|visual changes]]. Instructions on handling the breaking and visual changes are documented on [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Codex/Release Timeline/2.0#|this page]]. Pre-release testing is reported in [[phab:T386298|T386298]], with post-release issues tracked in [[phab:T392379|T392379]] and [[phab:T392390|T392390]].
* Users of [[wikitech:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Wiki_Replicas|Wiki Replicas]] will notice that the database views of <code dir="ltr">ipblocks</code>, <code dir="ltr">ipblocks_ipindex</code>, and <code dir="ltr">ipblocks_compat</code> are [[phab:T390767|now deprecated]]. Users can query the <code dir="ltr">[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Block_table|block]]</code> and <code dir="ltr">[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Block_target_table|block_target]]</code> new views that mirror the new tables in the production database instead. The deprecated views will be removed entirely from Wiki Replicas in June, 2025.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.44/wmf.27|MediaWiki]]
'''In depth'''
* The latest quarterly [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Language and Product Localization/Newsletter/2025/April|Language and Internationalization Newsletter]] is now available. This edition includes an overview of the improved [https://test.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:ContentTranslation&campaign=contributionsmenu&to=es&filter-type=automatic&filter-id=previous-edits&active-list=suggestions&from=en#/ Content Translation Dashboard Tool], [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Language and Product Localization/Newsletter/2025/April#Language Support for New and Existing Languages|support for new languages]], [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Language and Product Localization/Newsletter/2025/April#Wiki Loves Ramadan Articles Made In Content Translation Mobile Workflow|highlights from the Wiki Loves Ramadan campaign]], [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Research:Languages Onboarding Experiment 2024 - Executive Summary|results from the Language Onboarding Experiment]], an analysis of topic diversity in articles, and information on upcoming community meetings and events.
'''Meetings and events'''
* The [[Special:MyLanguage/Grants:Knowledge_Sharing/Connect/Calendar|Let's Connect Learning Clinic]] will take place on [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1745937000 April 29 at 14:30 UTC]. This edition will focus on "Understanding and Navigating Conflict in Wikimedia Projects". You can [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Event:Learning Clinic %E2%80%93 Understanding and Navigating Conflict in Wikimedia Projects (Part_1)|register now]] to attend.
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Hackathon 2025|2025 Wikimedia Hackathon]], which brings the global technical community together to connect, brainstorm, and hack existing projects, will take place from May 2 to 4th, 2025, at Istanbul, Turkey.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/18|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W18"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 19:31, 28 April 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-19 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W19"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/19|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* The Wikimedia Foundation has shared the latest draft update to their [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2025-2026|annual plan]] for next year (July 2025–June 2026). This includes an [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2025-2026|executive summary]] (also on [[diffblog:2025/04/25/sharing-the-wikimedia-foundations-2025-2026-draft-annual-plan/|Diff]]), details about the three main [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2025-2026/Goals|goals]] ([[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2025-2026/Product & Technology OKRs|Infrastructure]], [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2025-2026/Goals/Volunteer Support|Volunteer Support]], and [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2025-2026/Goals/Effectiveness|Effectiveness]]), [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2025-2026/Global Trends|global trends]], and the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2025-2026/Budget Overview|budget]] and [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2025-2026/Financial Model|financial model]]. Feedback and questions are welcome on the [[m:Talk:Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2025-2026|talk page]] until the end of May.
'''Updates for editors'''
* For wikis that have the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/CampaignEvents/Deployment status|CampaignEvents extension enabled]], two new feature improvements have been released:
** Admins can now choose which namespaces are permitted for [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Event Center/Registration|Event Registration]] via [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Community Configuration|Community Configuration]] ([[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CampaignEvents/Registration/Permitted namespaces|documentation]]). The default setup is for event registration to be permitted in the Event namespace, but other namespaces (such as the project namespace or WikiProject namespace) can now be added. With this change, communities like WikiProjects can now more easily use Event Registration for their collaborative activities.
** Editors can now [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Transclusion|transclude]] the Collaboration List on a wiki page ([[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CampaignEvents/Collaboration list/Transclusion|documentation]]). The Collaboration List is an automated list of events and WikiProjects on the wikis, accessed via {{#special:AllEvents}} ([[w:en:Special:AllEvents|example]]). Now, the Collaboration List can be added to all sorts of wiki pages, such as: a wiki mainpage, a WikiProject page, an affiliate page, an event page, or even a user page.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:27}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:27|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Developers who use the <code dir=ltr>moment</code> library in gadgets and user scripts should revise their code to use alternatives like the <code dir=ltr>Intl</code> library or the new <code dir=ltr>mediawiki.DateFormatter</code> library. The <code dir=ltr>moment</code> library has been deprecated and will begin to log messages in the developer console. You can see a global search for current uses, and [[phab:T392532|ask related questions in this Phabricator task]].
* Developers who maintain a tool that queries the Wikidata term store tables (<code dir=ltr style="white-space: nowrap;">wbt_*</code>) need to update their code to connect to a separate database cluster. These tables are being split into a separate database cluster. Tools that query those tables via the wiki replicas must be adapted to connect to the new cluster instead. [[wikitech:News/2025 Wikidata term store database split|Documentation and related links are available]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T390954]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.44/wmf.28|MediaWiki]]
'''In depth'''
* The latest [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Chart/Project/Updates|Chart Project newsletter]] is available. It includes updates on preparing to expand the deployment to additional wikis as soon as this week (starting May 6) and scaling up over the following weeks, plus exploring filtering and transforming source data.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/19|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W19"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:14, 6 May 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-20 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W20"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/20|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia URL Shortener|"Get shortened URL"]] link on the sidebar now includes a [[phab:T393309|QR code]]. Wikimedia site users can now use it by scanning or downloading it to quickly share and access shared content from Wikimedia sites, conveniently.
'''Updates for editors'''
* The Wikimedia Foundation is working on a system called [[m:Edge Uniques|Edge Uniques]], which will enable [[w:en:A/B testing|A/B testing]], help protect against [[w:en:Denial-of-service attack|distributed denial-of-service attacks]] (DDoS attacks), and make it easier to understand how many visitors the Wikimedia sites have. This is to help more efficiently build tools which help readers, and make it easier for readers to find what they are looking for. Tech News has [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/16|previously written about this]]. The deployment will be gradual. Some might see the Edge Uniques cookie the week of 19 May. You can discuss this on the [[m:Talk:Edge Uniques|talk page]].
* Starting May 19, 2025, Event organisers in wikis with the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CampaignEvents|CampaignEvents extension]] enabled can use [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Event Center/Registration|Event Registration]] in the project namespace (e.g., Wikipedia namespace, Wikidata namespace). With this change, communities don't need admins to use the feature. However, wikis that don't want this change can remove and add the permitted namespaces at [[Special:CommunityConfiguration/CampaignEvents]].
* The Wikipedia project now has a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikipedia/en}} in [[d:Q36720|Nupe]] ([[w:nup:|<code>w:nup:</code>]]). This is a language primarily spoken in the North Central region of Nigeria. Speakers of this language are invited to contribute to [[w:nup:Tatacin feregi|new Wikipedia]].
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:27}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:27|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Developers can now access pre-parsed Dutch Wikipedia, amongst others (English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese) through the [https://enterprise.wikimedia.com/docs/snapshot/#structured-contents-snapshot-bundle-info-beta Structured Contents snapshots (beta)]. The content includes parsed Wikipedia abstracts, descriptions, main images, infoboxes, article sections, and references.
* The <code dir="ltr">/page/data-parsoid</code> REST API endpoint is no longer in use and will be deprecated. It is [[phab:T393557|scheduled to be turned off]] on June 7, 2025.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.1|MediaWiki]]
'''In depth'''
* The [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/News/2025_Cloud_VPS_VXLAN_IPv6_migration IPv6 support] is a newly introduced Cloud virtual network that significantly boosts Wikimedia platforms' scalability, security, and readiness for the future. If you are a technical contributor eager to learn more, check out [https://techblog.wikimedia.org/2025/05/06/wikimedia-cloud-vps-ipv6-support/ this blog post] for an in-depth look at the journey to IPv6.
'''Meetings and events'''
* The 2nd edition of 2025 of [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Afrika Baraza|Afrika Baraza]], a virtual platform for African Wikimedians to connect, will take place on [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1747328400 May 15 at 17:00 UTC]. This edition will focus on discussions regarding [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2025-2026|Wikimedia Annual planning and progress]].
* The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/MENA Connect Community Call|MENA Connect Community Call]], a virtual meeting for [[w:en:Middle East and North Africa|MENA]] Wikimedians to connect, will take place on [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1747501200 May 17 at 17:00 UTC]. You can [[m:Event:MENA Connect (Wiki_Diwan) APP Call|register now]] to attend.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/20|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W20"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 22:37, 12 May 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-21 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W21"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/21|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* The Editing Team and the Machine Learning Team are working on a new check for newcomers: [[mw:Edit check/Peacock check|Peacock check]]. Using a prediction model, this check will encourage editors to improve the tone of their edits, using artificial intelligence. We invite volunteers to review the first version of the Peacock language model for the following languages: Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, English, and Japanese. Users from these wikis interested in reviewing this model are [[mw:Edit check/Peacock check/model test|invited to sign up at MediaWiki.org]]. The deadline to sign up is on May 23, which will be the start date of the test.
'''Updates for editors'''
* From May 20, 2025, [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Oversight policy|oversighters]] and [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Meta:CheckUsers|checkusers]] will need to have their accounts secured with two-factor authentication (2FA) to be able to use their advanced rights. All users who belong to these two groups and do not have 2FA enabled have been informed. In the future, this requirement may be extended to other users with advanced rights. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Mandatory two-factor authentication for users with some extended rights|Learn more]].
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Wishlist item]] [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist Survey 2023/Multiblocks|Multiblocks]] will begin mass deployment by the end of the month: all non-Wikipedia projects plus Catalan Wikipedia will adopt Multiblocks in the week of May 26, while all other Wikipedias will adopt it in the week of June 2. Please [[m:Talk:Community Wishlist Survey 2023/Multiblocks|contact the team]] if you have concerns. Administrators can test the new user interface now on your own wiki by browsing to [{{fullurl:Special:Block|usecodex=1}} {{#special:Block}}?usecodex=1], and can test the full multiblocks functionality [[testwiki:Special:Block|on testwiki]]. Multiblocks is the feature that makes it possible for administrators to impose different types of blocks on the same user at the same time. See the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Manage blocks|help page]] for more information. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T377121]
* Later this week, the [[{{#special:SpecialPages}}]] listing of almost all special pages will be updated with a new design. This page has been [[phab:T219543|redesigned]] to improve the user experience in a few ways, including: The ability to search for names and aliases of the special pages, sorting, more visible marking of restricted special pages, and a more mobile-friendly look. The new version can be [https://meta.wikimedia.beta.wmflabs.org/wiki/Special:SpecialPages previewed] at Beta Cluster now, and feedback shared in the task. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T219543]
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Chart|Chart extension]] is being enabled on more wikis. For a detailed list of when the extension will be enabled on your wiki, please read the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Chart/Project#Deployment Timeline|deployment timeline]].
* [[f:Special:MyLanguage/Wikifunctions:Main Page|Wikifunctions]] will be deployed on May 27 on five Wiktionaries: [[wikt:ha:|Hausa]], [[wikt:ig:|Igbo]], [[wikt:bn:|Bengali]], [[wikt:ml:|Malayalam]], and [[wikt:dv:|Dhivehi/Maldivian]]. This is the second batch of deployment planned for the project. After deployment, the projects will be able to call [[f:Special:MyLanguage/Wikifunctions:Introduction|functions from Wikifunctions]] and integrate them in their pages. A function is something that takes one or more inputs and transforms them into a desired output, such as adding up two numbers, converting miles into metres, calculating how much time has passed since an event, or declining a word into a case. Wikifunctions will allow users to do that through a simple call of [[f:Special:MyLanguage/Wikifunctions:Catalogue|a stable and global function]], rather than via a local template.
* Later this week, the Wikimedia Foundation will publish a hub for [[diffblog:2024/07/09/on-the-value-of-experimentation/|experiments]]. This is to showcase and get user feedback on product experiments. The experiments help the Wikimedia movement [[diffblog:2023/07/13/exploring-paths-for-the-future-of-free-knowledge-new-wikipedia-chatgpt-plugin-leveraging-rich-media-social-apps-and-other-experiments/|understand new users]], how they interact with the internet and how it could affect the Wikimedia movement. Some examples are [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Future Audiences/Generated Video|generated video]], the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Future Audiences/Roblox game|Wikipedia Roblox speedrun game]] and [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Future Audiences/Discord bot|the Discord bot]].
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:29}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:29|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, there was a bug with creating an account using the API, which has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T390751]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Gadgets and user scripts that interact with [[{{#special:Block}}]] may need to be updated to work with the new [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Manage blocks|manage blocks interface]]. Please review the [[mw:Help:Manage blocks/Developers|developer guide]] for more information. If you need help or are unable to adapt your script to the new interface, please let the team know on the [[mw:Help talk:Manage blocks/Developers|talk page]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T377121]
* The <code dir=ltr>mw.title</code> object allows you to get information about a specific wiki page in the [[w:en:Wikipedia:Lua|Lua]] programming language. Starting this week, a new property will be added to the object, named <code dir=ltr>isDisambiguationPage</code>. This property allows you to check if a page is a disambiguation page, without the need to write a custom function. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T71441]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|15px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] User script developers can use a [[toolforge:gitlab-content|new reverse proxy tool]] to load javascript and css from [[gitlab:|gitlab.wikimedia.org]] with <code dir=ltr>mw.loader.load</code>. The tool's author hopes this will enable collaborative development workflows for user scripts including linting, unit tests, code generation, and code review on <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr">gitlab.wikimedia.org</bdi> without a separate copy-and-paste step to publish scripts to a Wikimedia wiki for integration and acceptance testing. See [[wikitech:Tool:Gitlab-content|Tool:Gitlab-content on Wikitech]] for more information.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.2|MediaWiki]]
'''Meetings and events'''
* The 12th edition of [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wiki Workshop 2025|Wiki Workshop 2025]], a forum that brings together researchers that explore all aspects of Wikimedia projects, will be held virtually on 21-22 May. Researchers can [https://pretix.eu/wikimedia/wikiworkshop2025/ register now].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/21|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W21"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:12, 19 May 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-22 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W22"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/22|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* A community-wide discussion about a very delicate issue for the development of [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Abstract Wikipedia|Abstract Wikipedia]] is now open on Meta: where to store the abstract content that will be developed through functions from Wikifunctions and data from Wikidata. The discussion is open until June 12 at [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Abstract Wikipedia/Location of Abstract Content|Abstract Wikipedia/Location of Abstract Content]], and every opinion is welcomed. The decision will be made and communicated after the consultation period by the Foundation.
'''Updates for editors'''
* Since last week, on all wikis except [[phab:T388604|the largest 20]], people using the mobile visual editor will have [[phab:T385851|additional tools in the menu bar]], accessed using the new <code>+</code> toolbar button. To start, the new menu will include options to add: citations, hieroglyphs, and code blocks. Deployment to the remaining wikis is [[phab:T388605|scheduled]] to happen in June.
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] The <code dir=ltr>[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:ParserFunctions##ifexist|#ifexist]]</code> parser function will no longer register a link to its target page. This will improve the usefulness of [[{{#special:WantedPages}}]], which will eventually only list pages that are the target of an actual red link. This change will happen gradually as the source pages are updated. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T14019]
* This week, the Moderator Tools team will launch [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/2025 RecentChanges Language Agnostic Revert Risk Filtering|a new filter to Recent Changes]], starting at Indonesian Wikipedia. This new filter highlights edits that are likely to be reverted. The goal is to help Recent Changes patrollers identify potentially problematic edits. Other wikis will benefit from this filter in the future.
* Upon clicking an empty search bar, logged-out users will see suggestions of articles for further reading. The feature will be available on both desktop and mobile. Readers of Catalan, Hebrew, and Italian Wikipedias and some sister projects will receive the change between May 21 and mid-June. Readers of other wikis will receive the change later. The goal is to encourage users to read the wikis more. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Content Discovery Experiments/Search Suggestions|Learn more]].
* Some users of the Wikipedia Android app can use a new feature for readers, [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Team/Android/TrivaGame|WikiGames]], a daily trivia game based on real historical events. The release has started as an A/B test, available to 50% of users in the following languages: English, French, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, and Turkish.
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Newsletter|Newsletter extension]] that is available on MediaWiki.org allows the creation of [[mw:Special:Newsletters|various newsletters]] for global users. The extension can now publish new issues as section links on an existing page, instead of requiring a new page for each issue. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T393844]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:32}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:32|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* The previously deprecated <code dir=ltr>[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Ipblocks table|ipblocks]]</code> views in [[wikitech:Help:Wiki Replicas|Wiki Replicas]] will be removed in the beginning of June. Users are encouraged to query the new <code dir=ltr>[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Block table|block]]</code> and <code dir=ltr>[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Block target table|block_target]]</code> views instead.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.3|MediaWiki]]
'''Meetings and events'''
* [[d:Special:MyLanguage/Event:Wikidata and Sister Projects|Wikidata and Sister Projects]] is a multi-day online event that will focus on how Wikidata is integrated to Wikipedia and the other Wikimedia projects. The event runs from May 29 – June 1. You can [[d:Special:MyLanguage/Event:Wikidata and Sister Projects#Sessions|read the Program schedule]] and [[d:Special:RegisterForEvent/1291|register]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/22|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W22"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 20:04, 26 May 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-23 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W23"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/23|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Chart|Chart extension]] is now available on all Wikimedia wikis. Editors can use this new extension to create interactive data visualizations like bar, line, area, and pie charts. Charts are designed to replace many of the uses of the legacy [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Graph|Graph extension]].
'''Updates for editors'''
* It is now easier to configure automatic citations for your wiki within the visual editor's [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Citoid/Enabling Citoid on your wiki|citation generator]]. Administrators can now set a default template by using the <code dir=ltr>_default</code> key in the local <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[MediaWiki:Citoid-template-type-map.json]]</bdi> page ([[mw:Special:Diff/6969653/7646386|example diff]]). Setting this default will also help to future-proof your existing configurations when [[phab:T347823|new item types]] are added in the future. You can still set templates for individual item types as they will be preferred to the default template. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T384709]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:20}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:20|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Starting the week of June 2, bots logging in using <code dir=ltr>action=login</code> or <code dir=ltr>action=clientlogin</code> will fail more often. This is because of stronger protections against suspicious logins. Bots using [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Bot passwords|bot passwords]] or using a loginless authentication method such as [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/OAuth/Owner-only consumers|OAuth]] are not affected. If your bot is not using one of those, you should update it; using <code dir=ltr>action=login</code> without a bot password was deprecated [[listarchive:list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/3EEMN7VQX5G7WMQI5K2GP5JC2336DPTD/|in 2016]]. For most bots, this only requires changing what password the bot uses. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T395205]
* From this week, Wikimedia wikis will allow ES2017 features in JavaScript code for official code, gadgets, and user scripts. The most visible feature of ES2017 is <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code>async</code>/<code>await</code></bdi> syntax, allowing for easier-to-read code. Until this week, the platform only allowed up to ES2016, and a few months before that, up to ES2015. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T381537]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.4|MediaWiki]]
'''Meetings and events'''
* Scholarship applications to participate in the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/GLAM Wiki 2025|GLAM Wiki Conference 2025]] are now open. The conference will take place from 30 October to 1 November, in Lisbon, Portugal. GLAM contributors who lack the means to support their participation can [[m:Special:MyLanguage/GLAM Wiki 2025/Scholarships|apply here]]. Scholarship applications close on June 7th.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/23|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W23"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:55, 2 June 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-24 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W24"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/24|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product|Trust and Safety Product team]] is finalizing work needed to roll out [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts|temporary accounts]] on large Wikipedias later this month. The team has worked with stewards and other users with extended rights to predict and address many use cases that may arise on larger wikis, so that community members can continue to effectively moderate and patrol temporary accounts. This will be the second of three phases of deployment – the last one will take place in September at the earliest. For more information about the recent developments on the project, [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts/Updates|see this update]]. If you have any comments or questions, write on the [[mw:Talk:Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts|talk page]], and [[m:Event:CEE Catch up Nr. 10 (June 2025)|join a CEE Catch Up]] this Tuesday.
'''Updates for editors'''
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Wishlist item]] The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Watchlist expiry|watchlist expiry]] feature allows editors to watch pages for a limited period of time. After that period, the page is automatically removed from your watchlist. Starting this week, you can set a preference for the default period of time to watch pages. The [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-watchlist-pageswatchlist|preferences]] also allow you to set different default watch periods for editing existing pages, pages you create, and when using rollback. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T265716]
[[File:Talk pages default look (April 2023).jpg|thumb|alt=Screenshot of the visual improvements made on talk pages|Example of a talk page with the new design, in French.]]
* The appearance of talk pages will change at almost all Wikipedias ([[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2024/19|some]] have already received this design change, [[phab:T379264|a few]] will get these changes later). You can read details about the changes [[diffblog:2024/05/02/making-talk-pages-better-for-everyone/|on ''Diff'']]. It is possible to opt out of these changes [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-editing-discussion|in user preferences]] ("{{int:discussiontools-preference-visualenhancements}}"). [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T319146][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T392121]
* Users with specific extended rights (including administrators, bureaucrats, checkusers, oversighters, and stewards) can now have IP addresses of all temporary accounts [[phab:T358853|revealed automatically]] during time-limited periods where they need to combat high-speed account-hopping vandalism. This feature was requested by stewards. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T386492]
* This week, the Moderator Tools and Machine Learning teams will continue the rollout of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/2025 RecentChanges Language Agnostic Revert Risk Filtering|a new filter to Recent Changes]], releasing it to several more Wikipedias. This filter utilizes the Revert Risk model, which was created by the Research team, to highlight edits that are likely to be reverted and help Recent Changes patrollers identify potentially problematic contributions. The feature will be rolled out to the following Wikipedias: {{int:project-localized-name-afwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-bewiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-bnwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-cywiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-hawwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-iswiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-kkwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-simplewiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-trwiki/en}}. The rollout will continue in the coming weeks to include [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/2025 RecentChanges Language Agnostic Revert Risk Filtering|the rest of the Wikipedias in this project]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T391964]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:27}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:27|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* AbuseFilter editors active on Meta-Wiki and large Wikipedias are kindly asked to update AbuseFilter to make it compatible with temporary accounts. A link to the instructions and the private lists of filters needing verification are [[phab:T369611|available on Phabricator]].
* Lua modules now have access to the name of a page's associated thumbnail image, and on [https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/g/operations/mediawiki-config/+/2e4ab14aa15bb95568f9c07dd777065901eb2126/wmf-config/InitialiseSettings.php#10849 some wikis] to the WikiProject assessment information. This is possible using two new properties on [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Scribunto/Lua reference manual#added-by-extensions|mw.title objects]], named <code dir=ltr>pageImage</code> and <code dir=ltr>pageAssessments</code>. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T131911][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T380122]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.5|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/24|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W24"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 01:16, 10 June 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-25 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W25"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/25|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* You can [https://wikimediafoundation.limesurvey.net/359761?lang=en nominate your favorite tools] for the sixth edition of the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Coolest Tool Award|Coolest Tool Award]]. Nominations are anonymous and will be open until June 25. You can re-use the survey to nominate multiple tools.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:33}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:33|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.6|MediaWiki]]
'''In depth'''
* Foundation staff and technical volunteers use Wikimedia APIs to build the tools, applications, features, and integrations that enhance user experiences. Over the coming years, the MediaWiki Interfaces team will be investing in Wikimedia web (HTTP) APIs to better serve technical volunteer needs and protect Wikimedia infrastructure from potential abuse. You can [https://techblog.wikimedia.org/2025/06/12/apis-as-a-product-investing-in-the-current-and-next-generation-of-technical-contributors/ read more about their plans to evolve the APIs in this Techblog post].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/25|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W25"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:38, 16 June 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-26 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W26"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/26|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* This week, the Moderator Tools and Machine Learning teams will continue the rollout of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/2025 RecentChanges Language Agnostic Revert Risk Filtering|a new filter to Recent Changes]], releasing it to the third and last batch of Wikipedias. This filter utilizes the Revert Risk model, which was created by the Research team, to highlight edits that are likely to be reverted and help Recent Changes patrollers identify potentially problematic contributions. The feature will be rolled out to the following Wikipedias: {{int:project-localized-name-azwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-lawiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-mkwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-mlwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-mrwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-nnwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-pawiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-swwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-tewiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-tlwiki/en}}. The rollout will continue in the coming weeks to include [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/2025 RecentChanges Language Agnostic Revert Risk Filtering|the rest of the Wikipedias in this project]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T391964]
'''Updates for editors'''
* Last week, [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts|temporary accounts]] were rolled out on Czech, Korean, and Turkish Wikipedias. This and next week, deployments on larger Wikipedias will follow. [[mw:Talk:Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts|Share your thoughts]] about the project. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T340001]
* Later this week, the Editing team will release [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Edit check#Multi check|Multi Check]] to all Wikipedias (except English Wikipedia). This feature shows multiple [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Edit check#Reference check|Reference checks]] within the editing experience. This encourages users to add citations when they add multiple new paragraphs to a Wikipedia article. This feature was previously available as an A/B test. [https://analytics.wikimedia.org/published/reports/editing/multi_check_ab_test_report_final.html#summary-of-results The test shows] that users who are shown multiple checks are 1.3 times more likely to add a reference to their edit, and their edit is less likely to be reverted (-34.7%). [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T395519]
* A few pages need to be renamed due to software updates and to match more recent Unicode standards. All of these changes are related to title-casing changes. Approximately 71 pages and 3 files will be renamed, across 15 wikis; the complete list is in [[phab:T396903|the task]]. The developers will rename these pages next week, and they will fix redirects and embedded file links a few minutes later via a system settings update.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:24}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:24|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, a bug was fixed that had caused pages to scroll upwards when text near the top was selected. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T364023]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Editors can now use Lua modules to filter and transform tabular data for use with [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Chart|Extension:Chart]]. This can be used for things like selecting a subset of rows or columns from the source data, converting between units, statistical processing, and many other useful transformations. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Chart/Transforms|Information on how to use transforms is available]]. [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Chart/Project/Updates]
* The <code dir=ltr>all_links</code> variable in [[Special:AbuseFilter|AbuseFilter]] is now renamed to <code dir=ltr>new_links</code> for consistency with other variables. Old usages will still continue to work. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T391811]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.7|MediaWiki]]
'''In depth'''
* The latest quarterly [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Newsletters/34|Growth newsletter]] is available. It includes: the recent updates for the "Add a Link" Task, two new Newcomer Engagement Features, and updates to Community Configuration.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/26|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W26"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:21, 23 June 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-27 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W27"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/27|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CampaignEvents|CampaignEvents extension]] has been enabled on all Wikipedias. The extension makes it easier to organize and participate in collaborative activities, like edit-a-thons and WikiProjects, on the wikis. The extension has three features: [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Event Center/Registration|Event Registration]], [[m:Special:MyLanguage/CampaignEvents/Collaboration list|Collaboration List]], and [[m:Campaigns/Foundation Product Team/Invitation list|Invitation List]]. To request the extension for your wiki, visit the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/CampaignEvents/Deployment status#How to Request the CampaignEvents Extension for your wiki|Deployment information page]].
'''Updates for editors'''
* AbuseFilter maintainers can now [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:IPReputation/AbuseFilter variables|match against IP reputation data]] in [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:AbuseFilter|AbuseFilters]]. IP reputation data is information about the proxies and VPNs associated with the user's IP address. This data is not shown publicly and is not generated for actions performed by registered accounts. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T354599]
* Hidden content that is within [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Collapsible elements|collapsible parts of wikipages]] will now be revealed when someone searches the page using the web browser's "Find in page" function (Ctrl+F or ⌘F) in supporting browsers. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T327893][https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Reference/Global_attributes/hidden#browser_compatibility]
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Wishlist item]] A new feature, called [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:TemplateData/Template discovery|Favourite Templates]], will be deployed later this week on all projects (except English Wikipedia, which will receive the feature next week), following a piloting phase on Polish and Arabic Wikipedia, and Italian and English Wikisource. The feature will provide a better way for new and experienced contributors to recall and discover templates via the template dialog, by allowing users to put templates on a special "favourite list". The feature works with both the visual editor and the wikitext editor. The feature is a [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist/Focus areas/Template recall and discovery|community wishlist focus area]].
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:31}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:31|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, a bug was fixed that had caused some Notifications to be sent multiple times. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T397103]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.8|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/27|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W27"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:40, 30 June 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-28 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W28"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/28|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Temporary accounts|Temporary accounts]] have been rolled out on 18 large and medium-sized Wikipedias, including German, Japanese, French, and Chinese. Now, about 1/3 of all logged-out activity across wikis is coming from temporary accounts. Users involved in patrolling may be interested in two new documentation pages: [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts/Access to IP|Access to IP]], explaining everything related to access to temporary account IP addresses, and [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts/Repository|Repository]] with a list of new gadgets and user scripts.
'''Updates for editors'''
* Anyone can play an experimental new game, [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/New Engagement Experiments/WikiRun|WikiRun]], that lets you race through Wikipedia by clicking from one article to another, aiming to reach a target page in as few steps and in as little time as possible. The project's goal is to explore new ways of engaging readers. [https://wikirun-game.toolforge.org/ Try playing the game] and let the team know what you think [[mw:Talk:New Engagement Experiments/WikiRun|on the talk page]].
* Users of the Wikipedia Android app in some languages can now play the new [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Team/Android/TrivaGame|trivia game]]. ''Which came first?'' is a simple history game where you guess which of two events happened earlier on today's date. It was previously available as an A/B test. It is now available to all users in English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Arabic, Turkish, and Chinese. The goal of the feature is to help engage with new generations of readers. [https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/22]
* Users of the iOS Wikipedia App in some languages may see a new tabbed browsing feature that enables you to open multiple tabs while reading. This feature makes it easier to explore related topics and switch between articles. The A/B test is currently running in Arabic, English, and Japanese in selected regions. More details are available on the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Team/iOS/Tabbed Browsing (Tabs)|Tabbed Browsing project page]].
* Bureaucrats on Wikimedia wikis can now use [[{{#special:VerifyOATHForUser}}]] to check if users have enabled [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Two-factor authentication|two-factor authentication]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T265726]
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Wishlist item]] A new feature related to [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist/Focus areas/Template recall and discovery|Template Recall and Discovery]] will be deployed later this week to all Wikimedia projects: a [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:TemplateData/Template discovery#Template categories|template category browser]] will be introduced to assist users in finding templates to put in their “favourite” list. The browser will allow users to browse a list of templates which have been organised into a given category tree. The feature has been requested by the community [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist/Wishes/Select templates by categories|through the Community Wishlist]].
* It is now possible to access watchlist preferences from the watchlist page. Also the redundant button to edit the watchlist has been removed. [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Moderator_Tools/Watchlist]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:27}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:27|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* As part of [[mw:MediaWiki_1.44|MediaWiki 1.44]] there is now a unified built-in Notifications system that makes it easier for developers to send, manage, and customize notifications. Check out the updated documentation at [[mw:Manual:Notifications|Manual:Notifications]], information about migration in [[phab:T388663|T388663]] and details on deprecated hooks in [[phab:T389624|T389624]].
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.9|MediaWiki]]
'''Meetings and events'''
* [[d:Special:MyLanguage/Event:WikidataCon 2025|WikidataCon 2025]], the conference dedicated to Wikidata is now open for [https://pretalx.com/wikidatacon-2025/cfp session proposals] and for [[d:Special:RegisterForEvent/1340|registration]]. This year's event will be held online from October 31 – November 02 and will explore on the theme of "Connecting People through Linked Open Data".
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/28|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W28"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:05, 8 July 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-29 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W29"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/29|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:TemplateData/Template discovery#Featured templates|Featured templates]], a new feature related to [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist/Focus areas/Template recall and discovery|Template Recall and Discovery]] will be deployed this week to all Wikimedia projects: With this feature, editors will be able to quickly access a list of templates that are likely to be useful. These templates will be displayed in a list, under the "featured" tab of the template discovery interface. Administrators can define the list via the Community Configuration interface. The feature fulfills a request by the community [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist/Wishes/Easy access Templates|through the Community Wishlist]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T367428][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T392896]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:31}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:31|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the request to add Malayalam fonts in the [[oldWikisource:Special:MyLanguage/Wikisource:WS Export|Wikisource Book Export Tool]] was resolved and now, the rendering of Malayalam letters in exported Wikisource books are accurate. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T374457]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.10|MediaWiki]]
'''In depth'''
* Developers, designers, and all Wikimedians are invited to [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/project/board/7953/ submit a project idea] for the Wikimania Hackathon 2025. Read [https://diff.wikimedia.org/2025/06/30/call-for-projects-wikimania-hackathon-2025-is-coming-to-nairobi/ this Diff blog post] for more details.
'''Meetings and events'''
* [[m:WikiIndaba conference 2025|WikiIndaba 2025]] scholarship application and program submission is open until 23:59 GMT on July 20. WikiIndaba is a regional conference for African Wikimedians both on the continent and in the diaspora to unite and grow together. Submit [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJTv68R1OPASXXDfpIl8EWiMLTM-TDwh6_5gNVvFuWccFZ2Q/viewform your scholarship application] and [https://ee.kobotoolbox.org/x/BI3omIfH program proposal] now!
* [https://br.wikimedia.org/wiki/WikiCon_Brasil_2025 WikiCon Brasil 2025] will take place on July 19-20 in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The Brazilian community members are encouraged to register and attend!
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/29|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W29"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 20:09, 14 July 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-30 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W30"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/30|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* The Translation Suggestions feature in the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Content translation|Content Translation tool]] now has another level of article filters added to the "[https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:ContentTranslation&filter-type=automatic&filter-id=previous-edits&active-list=suggestions&from=en&to=fi#/ ... More]" category. Translators who use the Suggestions feature can now select and receive article suggestions that are customized to geographical locations of their interest using the new "{{int:Cx-sx-suggestions-filters-tab-regions}}" filter. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T113257]
* Administrators can now limit "Add a Link" to newcomers. The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Tools/Add a link|"Add a Link"]] Structured Task [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Growth/Constructive activation experimentation#Enwiki A/B test & "Add a Link" Improvements (Wiki Experiences 1.2.11 & 1.2.16)|helps new account holders start editing]], but some communities have requested the ability to restrict it to its intended audience: newcomers. Administrators can configure this setting within the [[Special:CommunityConfiguration/GrowthSuggestedEdits|Community Configuration]] feature.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:29}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:29|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* For AbuseFilter editors on [[phab:T392144|some wikis]], it is now possible to filter edits based on the RevertRisk score of the edit being attempted. It is only populated if the action being evaluated is an edit. For more information, please see the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:ORES/AbuseFilter variables#What variables are available for use|ORES/AbuseFilter variables]] documentation.
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Beta Cluster|Beta Cluster]] wikis have [[listarchive:list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/YDABPV75LADRQCXMJAFWUP256N4EQ25B/|been moved]] from <code dir=ltr>beta.wmflabs.org</code> to <code dir=ltr>beta.wmcloud.org</code>. Users may need to update URLs in any tools, or in their password managers. Any related issues can be [[phab:T289318|reported in the task]].
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.11|MediaWiki]]
'''Meetings and events'''
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/WikiCite 2025|WikiCite 2025]] will take place from 29–31 August, both online and in-person in Bern, Switzerland. The event's goals are to reconnect communities, institutions, and individuals working with open citations, bibliographic data, and the Wikidata/Wikibase ecosystem. Registration is open and the call for proposals will be announced soon. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikidata@lists.wikimedia.org/message/KQZUG3ETKLBWPBYSB2YAWZIRPWHS24TG/]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/30|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W30"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:42, 21 July 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-31 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W31"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/31|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* The Community Tech team will be focusing on wishes related to Watchlists and Recent Changes pages, over the next few months. They are looking for feedback. Please [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist/Updates#July 24, 2025: Watchlists and Recent Changes pages|read the latest update]], and if you have ideas, please [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist|submit a wish]] on the topic.
'''Updates for editors'''
* The Wikimedia Commons community has decided to block [[:mw:Special:MyLanguage/Upload dialog|cross-wiki uploads]] to Wikimedia Commons, for all users without autoconfirmed rights on that wiki, starting on August 16. This is because of [[:c:Commons:Cross-wiki media upload tool/History|widespread problems]] related to files that are uploaded by newcomers. Users who are affected by this will get an error message with a link to the less restrictive UploadWizard on Commons. Please help translating the [[:c:Special:MyLanguage/MediaWiki:Abusefilter-disallowed-cross-wiki-upload|message]] or give feedback on the message text. Please also update your local help pages to explain this restriction. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T370598]
* On wikis with temporary accounts enabled and Meta-Wiki, administrators may now set up a footer for the Special:Contributions pages of temporary accounts, similar to those which can be shown on IP and user-account pages. They may do it by creating the page named <code dir=ltr>MediaWiki:Sp-contributions-footer-temp</code>. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T398347]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:21}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:21|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.12|MediaWiki]]
'''Meetings and events'''
* [[wmania:Special:MyLanguage/2025:Wikimania|Wikimania 2025]] will run from August 6–9. The [https://wikimedia.eventyay.com/talk/wikimania2025/schedule/ program is available] for you to plan which sessions you want to attend. Most sessions will be live-streamed, with exceptions for those that show the "no camera" icon. If you are joining online to watch live-streams and use the interactive features, please [[wmania:Special:MyLanguage/2025:Registration|register]] for a free virtual ticket. For example, you may be interested in technical sessions such as:
** [https://wikimedia.eventyay.com/talk/wikimania2025/talk/KFEFVG/ Temporary Accounts: Enhancing privacy for our unregistered editors]
** [https://wikimedia.eventyay.com/talk/wikimania2025/talk/TVCVAB/ Building a Sustainable Future for Wikimedia Contributors]
** [https://wikimedia.eventyay.com/talk/wikimania2025/talk/WTRQCJ/ A dozen visions for wikitext!]
** [https://wikimedia.eventyay.com/talk/wikimania2025/talk/8YKKP9/ Coordinate Across Stakeholders with the Product and Technology Advisory Council]
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/MediaWiki Users and Developers Conference Fall 2025|MediaWiki Users and Developers Conference, Fall 2025]] will be held 28–30 October 2025 in Hanover, Germany. This event is organized by and for the third-party MediaWiki community. You can propose sessions and register to attend.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/31|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W31"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:26, 29 July 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-32 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W32"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/32|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* Editors can now enable the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Product Safety and Integrity/Anti-abuse signals/User Info|User Info card]]. This feature adds an icon next to usernames on history pages and similar user-contribution log pages. When you tap or click on the icon, it displays data related to that user account such as the number of edits, reverted edits, blocks, and more. It's part of a broader project to make it easier for moderators to evaluate account trustworthiness. The feature can be enabled in [[testwiki:Special:GlobalPreferences#mw-prefsection-rendering|your global preferences]], and later this week it will be available in local preferences. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T386439]
* Everybody is invited to share comments on [[m:Special:MyLanguage/CampaignEvents/Collaborative contributions|Collaborative Contributions]], a project recently launched by the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Connection Team|Connection team]]. The project aims to create a new way to display the impact of collaborative editing activities (such as edit-a-thons, backlog drives, and WikiProjects) on the wikis. Post your comments on the [[m:Talk:CampaignEvents/Collaborative contributions|project talk page]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T378035]
* Administrators can now define the default block duration for temporary accounts. To do that, they need to create a page named <code dir=ltr>MediaWiki:Ipb-default-expiry-temporary-account</code> and use a value defined in <code dir=ltr>MediaWiki:Ipboptions</code>. This allows administrators to easily block temporary accounts for 90 days, which is functionally equivalent to an indefinite block. The advantage of this solution is that it does not clutter Special:BlockList. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Block and unblock#Default block duration options|More documentation]] is available. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T398626]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:27}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:27|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Gadgets can now include <code dir=ltr>.vue</code> files. This makes it easier to develop modern user interfaces using [[mw:Vue.js|Vue.js]], in particular using [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Codex|Codex]], the official design system of Wikimedia. [[wmdoc:codex/latest/icons/overview.html|Codex icons]] can be loaded through the gadget definition. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Gadgets#Pages|The documentation]] has examples. For user scripts that use Vue.js, an [[mw:API:CodexIcons|API module]] now exists to load Codex icons. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T340460][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T311099]
* Module developers can now use a [[mw:Help:Extension:Translate/Message Bundles/Lua reference|Lua interface]] to simplify the preparation of Lua modules for translation on Meta-Wiki. This improvement makes it easier for translators to find and edit module strings without dealing with raw Lua code. It helps prevent mistakes that could break the module during translation. Module developers and translators are invited to [[commons:File:Translatable modules video demo July 2025.webm|watch the demo video]], read more about [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Translatable modules|translatable modules]] to understand how it works, refer to Meta-Wiki's [[m:Module:User Wikimedia project|Module:User Wikimedia project]] for example usage, and [[mw:Talk:Translatable modules|share their feedback]] on how well it addresses the challenges in their workflow. The interface still has some performance issues, so it should not be used in widely used modules yet. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T359918]
* Developers of external tools that connect to Wikimedia pages must set a user-agent that complies with [[foundation:Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Wikimedia Foundation User-Agent Policy|the user-agent policy]]. This policy will start to be more strongly enforced in August because of external crawlers that are [[diffblog:2025/04/01/how-crawlers-impact-the-operations-of-the-wikimedia-projects/|overusing]] Wikimedia's resources. Tools that are hosted on Wikimedia's Toolforge or Cloud VPS will not be affected by this for now, but should still set a user-agent. [[phab:T400119|More technical details are available]], and related questions are welcome in that task.
* Parsoid Read Views is going to be rolling out to some smaller Wikipedias over the next few weeks, following the successful transition of Wikivoyages and Wiktionaries to Parsoid Read Views. For more information, see the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Parsoid/Parser Unification|Parsoid/Parser Unification]] project page. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/project/profile/7694/]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.13|MediaWiki]]
'''Meetings and events'''
* [[wmania:Special:MyLanguage/2025:Wikimania|Wikimania 2025]] will run from August 6–9. The [https://wikimedia.eventyay.com/talk/wikimania2025/schedule/ program is available] for you to plan which sessions you want to attend. Most sessions will be live-streamed, with exceptions for those that show the "no camera" icon. If you are joining online to watch live-streams and use the interactive features, please [[wmania:Special:MyLanguage/2025:Registration|register]] for a free virtual ticket. For example, you may be interested in technical sessions such as:
** [https://wikimedia.eventyay.com/talk/wikimania2025/talk/GEH9DH/ Wikimedia’s knowledge infrastructure in a changing internet: Establishing sustainable pathways for content reuse]
** [https://wikimedia.eventyay.com/talk/wikimania2025/talk/7ELN9Q/ Wikifunctions is coming soon to a wiki near you!]
** [https://wikimedia.eventyay.com/talk/wikimania2025/talk/ZMGVJV/ Shaping the Future of Wikipedia’s Reader Experience]
** [https://wikimedia.eventyay.com/talk/wikimania2025/talk/KCKTFZ/ Making Wikipedia More Readable: What Comes Next]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/32|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W32"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 03:40, 5 August 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-33 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W33"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/33|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* The WikiEditor toolbar now includes [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:WikiEditor#Keyboard shortcuts|its keyboard shortcuts]] in the tooltips for its buttons. This will help to improve the discoverability of this feature. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T400583]
* The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Product and Technology Advisory Council|Product and Technology Advisory Council]] published a set of [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Product and Technology Advisory Council/August 2025 draft PTAC proposals for feedback|proposed experiments]] the Wikimedia Foundation can try to improve communication with community. Feedback on the proposals are welcomed until August 22 on [[m:Talk:Product and Technology Advisory Council/August 2025 draft PTAC proposals for feedback|this talk page]].
* The search bar on the Minerva skin (mobile) has been updated to use the same type-ahead search component that is used on the Vector 2022 skin. There are no changes in search functionality but there are minor visual changes. Specifically, the close-search button has been changed from an "X" to a back arrow. This helps to distinguish it from the other "X" button that is used to clear any text. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T393944]
* Editors on some wikis will see a new toggle for "Group results by page" on watchlist, related changes, and recent changes pages. This is [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Moderator Tools/Watchlist/Experiment|an A/B experiment]] that is planned to start on August 11, and will run for 3–6 weeks on the Bengali, Chinese, Czech, French, Greek, Portuguese, and Urdu Wikipedias. The experiment will examine how making this feature more discoverable might affect editors' ability to find the edits they are looking for. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T396789]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:31}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:31|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* The multiwiki datasets of [[:wikt:en:Module:Unicode data|Unicode data]] have been moved to [[c:Category:Unicode Module Datasets|Category:Unicode Module Datasets]] on Wikimedia Commons, to follow the idea of "One common data source, multiple local wikis". Most wikis have been updated to use the Commons version. You can ask questions at [[c:Category talk:Unicode Module Datasets|the talkpage]]. [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Module_talk:Unicode_data#Data_from_commons]
* Lua code can add warnings when something is wrong, by using the <code dir=ltr>mw.addWarning()</code> function. It is now possible to add more than one warning, instead of new warnings replacing old ones. If you maintain a Lua module that used warnings, you should check it still works as expected. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T398390]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.14|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/33|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W33"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:29, 11 August 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-34 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W34"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/34|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* Later this week, people who are logged-in and have the "[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project/Feature summary|Discussion tools]]" [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-betafeatures|Beta Feature]] enabled will gain the ability to "Thank" individual comments directly from talk pages, rather than needing to navigate to page history. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project/Feature summary#Comment actions|Learn more about this feature]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T400849]
* An A/B test comparing two versions of the desktop donate link launched on testwiki on 12 August and on English Wikipedia 14 August for 0.1% of logged out users on the desktop site. The experiment will run for three weeks, ending on 12 September. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T395716]
* An A/A test to measure the baseline for reader retention was launched 12 August using [[wikitech:Experimentation Lab|Experimentation Lab]]. This measures the percentage of users who revisit a wiki after their initial visit over a 14-day period. No visual changes are expected. The experiment will run through 31 August. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T399227]
* Five new wikis have been created:
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikisource/en}} in [[d:Q34057|Tagalog]] ([[s:tl:|<code>s:tl:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T388639]
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikisource/en}} in [[d:Q36213|Madurese]] ([[s:mad:|<code>s:mad:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T391747]
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikipedia/en}} in [[d:Q3450749|Rakhine]] ([[w:rki:|<code>w:rki:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T392490]
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikibooks/en}} in [[d:Q13324|Minangkabau]] ([[b:min:|<code>b:min:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T395452]
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wiktionary/en}} in [[d:Q7598268|Standard Moroccan Amazigh]] ([[wikt:zgh:|<code>wikt:zgh:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T399684]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:46}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:46|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.15|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/34|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W34"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:38, 19 August 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-35 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W35"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/35|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* [[File:Octicons-gift.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Wishlist item]] [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] Template authors can now use additional CSS properties, since the CSS sanitizer used by [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:TemplateStyles|TemplateStyles]] was updated. For example: <code>width: fit-content</code>; <code>ruby-align</code>; relative units such as <code>lh</code>; and custom strings in <code>list-style-type</code>. These improvements are a [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist/Wishes/Allow use of modern CSS in templates by updating the TemplateStyles CSS sanitizer|Community Wishlist wish]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T271958][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T277755][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T293633][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T295088][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T326906][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T340057][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T360725][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T371809][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T375344][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T394619]
* On large wikis, the default time period to display edits from, within the Special:RecentChanges page, has been changed from 7 days to 1 day. This is part of a performance improvement project. This should have no user-facing impact due to the quantity of edits on these wikis. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T399455]
* Administrators can now access the [[{{#special:BlockedExternalDomains}}]] page from the [[{{#special:CommunityConfiguration}}]] list page. This makes it easier to find. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T393240]
* Wikimedia Commons videos were not shown in the Videos tab in Google Search. The problem was investigated and reported to Google who have now fixed the issue. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T396168][https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Community_Wishlist/Wishes/Do_something_about_Google_%26_DuckDuckGo_search_not_indexing_media_files_and_categories_on_Commons]
* One new wiki has been created: a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wiktionary/en}} in [[d:Q33014|Betawi]] ([[wikt:bew:|<code>wikt:bew:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T402130]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:39}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:39|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Two fields of the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Recentchanges table|recentchanges database table]] are being removed. <code>rc_new</code> and <code>rc_type</code> are being removed in favor of <code>rc_source</code>. Queries to these older fields will start to fail starting this week and developers should use <code>rc_source</code> instead. These older fields were deprecated over 10 years ago and should not be in use. This is part of work to improve the performance and stability of queries to the recentchanges table. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T400696]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.16|MediaWiki]]
'''In depth'''
* The latest quarterly [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Language and Product Localization/Newsletter/2025/July|Language and Internationalization Newsletter]] is now available. This edition includes: support for new languages in MediaWiki and translatewiki; the start of the Language Onboarding and Development project to help support the growth of new and small wikis; updates on research projects; and more.
'''Meetings and events'''
* The next [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Language and Product Localization/Community meetings#29 August 2025|Language Community Meeting]] is happening soon, August 29th at [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1756479600 15:00 UTC]. This week's meeting will cover: the Avro keyboard developers from Wikimedia Bangladesh, who were recently awarded a national award for their contributions to this keyboard; and other topics.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/35|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W35"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 00:12, 26 August 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-36 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W36"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/36|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* The Editing team wants to compile a list of templates, jargon terms, and policies used in edit summaries when a copyright violation is removed. This will help them identify the number of edits reverted due to copyright issues. We invite community members from the following Wikis to list these terms in [[Phab:T402601|T402601]], or to share their list with [[User:Trizek (WMF)|Trizek_(WMF)]]: {{int:project-localized-name-arwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-cswiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-dewiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-enwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-eswiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-fawiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-frwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-hewiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-idwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-itwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-jawiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-kowiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-nlwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-plwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-ptwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-trwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-ukwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-viwiki/en}}{{int:comma-separator/en}}{{int:project-localized-name-zhwiki/en}}. This project is open until September 9th 2025.
'''Updates for editors'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CampaignEvents|CampaignEvents extension]] has been enabled for all Wikisources. The extension makes it easier to organize and participate in collaborative activities, like edit-a-thons and WikiProjects, on the wikis. The extension has three features: [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Event Center/Registration|Event Registration]], [[m:Special:MyLanguage/CampaignEvents/Collaboration list|Collaboration List]], and [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Connection Team/Invitation list|Invitation List]]. To request the extension for your wiki, visit the Deployment information page. [https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/CampaignEvents/Deployment_status#How_to_Request_the_CampaignEvents_Extension_for_your_wiki]
* The lists in the footer of the editing interface, such as "Templates used on this page," will now be organized into columns when there is enough space. This enhancement minimizes scrolling when editing lengthy articles on Wikipedia. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T401066]
* On September 3rd, 2025 we will increase the sampling percentages of our [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Moderator Tools/Watchlist/Experiment#Scope of the experiment|group by toggle experiment]] of the <code>Special:RecentChanges</code>, <code>Special:Watchlist</code>, and <code>Special:RelatedChanges</code> pages on the Chinese, French, and Portuguese Wikipedias to 100 percent, allowing more editors to be part of this experiment. This adjustment is intended to ensure we have sufficient data to make informed decisions when evaluating the experiment results. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T402958][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T396789]
* Upon clicking an empty search bar, logged-out users will see suggestions of articles for further reading on English Wikipedia beginning the week of September 22. The feature will be available on both desktop and mobile. All non-English wikis received this change in June and July. The goal is to make it easier for users to find articles. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Content Discovery Experiments/Search Suggestions|Learn more]].
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:37}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:37|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.17|MediaWiki]]
'''In depth'''
* Wikifunctions now has a new capability called "lightweight enumeration types", an enumeration type is simply a fixed set of values that's in the type's definition. This capability makes it quick and easy to define such a type, and allows for the reuse of values that are already present in Wikidata. Here is [[f:Special:MyLanguage/Wikifunctions:Status updates/2025-07-19|a newsletter]] to learn more.
* The latest [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Readers/Newsletter updates#August 2025: Newsletter #1|Readers Newsletter]] is now available. This edition includes: the formation of two new teams — Reader Growth and Reader Experience; insights into declining pageviews and account creations; highlights from the Wikimania Nairobi panel on improving the reading experience; upcoming experiments to engage new and existing readers; and more.
'''Meetings and events'''
* Spotlight on some Wikimania 2025 Sessions:
** Identifying AI-generated text by searching for ISBNs whose checksums fail: Mathias Schindler of WMDE [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw9o8Lsl974&t=15910s shared tools to help communities search for these].
** [https://wikimedia.eventyay.com/talk/wikimania2025/talk/TCHZKH/ La durabilité du mouvement Wikimedia face aux défis actuels et futurs]: This session explored how Wikimedia can stay a trusted source of knowledge in the age of generative AI, information overload, and disinformation.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/36|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W36"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 20:50, 1 September 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-37 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W37"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/37|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* The Editing team is working on a new check: [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Paste check|Paste check]]. This check informs newcomers who paste text into Wikipedia that the content might not be accepted. This check is an effort to increase the likelihood that the new content people are adding to Wikipedia is aligned with the Movement's commitment to offering information under a free content license. This check will soon be tested at a few wikis. If your community is interested in this test, please [[phab:T403680|tell us in this task]], or [[mw:Talk:Edit check|contact the team]].
'''Updates for editors'''
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] Later this week, users of the "{{int:codemirror-beta-feature-title}}" [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-betafeatures|beta feature]] will be able to use a [[w:en:Lint (software)|linting tool]] to see errors or other potential problems in wikitext in real time. See the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror#Linting|help page for more information]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T381577]
* [[File:Octicons-tools.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Advanced item]] When browsing a wiki (like <code dir=ltr>en.wikipedia.org</code>), the software responds in one of two ways: a desktop page, or a redirect to a mobile version on an "m" domain (like <code dir=ltr>en.m.wikipedia.org</code>). Over the next three weeks, MediaWiki will start displaying the mobile version to mobile devices directly on the standard domain, without this redirect. This change does not affect existing m-dot URLs, or the "Desktop view" opt-out. [[mw:Requests for comment/Mobile domain sunsetting/2025 Announcement|Learn more]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T214998]
* When an edit changes the categories of a page, the changes to the category membership counts are now happening asynchronously. This improves the speed of saving edits, especially when moving many pages to or from the same category, and reduces the risk of site outages, but it means that the counts can show outdated information for a few minutes. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T365303]
* Edits on Wikidata to qualifiers (properties and values) and references (properties and values) in a Wikidata item statement will now not add entries to the RecentChanges or Watchlist pages on all other Wikis. This is a temporary change to improve performance while other solutions are created. Wikidata's own pages remain unchanged. [[m:Wikidata For Wikimedia Projects/Reduce change propagation noise#Phase 1: Turn off (temporarily) Qualifiers and References Wikidata edits to the Recent Changes tables|Learn more]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T401286][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T400698]
* Japanese-language wikis have had a major upgrade to the way that search works. The new search should generally give more accurate and more relevant search results. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T318269]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:31}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:31|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.18|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/37|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W37"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 01:14, 9 September 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-38 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W38"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/38|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* References lists that are made using the <code dir=ltr><nowiki><references/></nowiki></code> [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Cite#references-tag|tag]] will now automatically display with columns in Vector 2022 when readers are using its 'standard' settings for text-size and page-width. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T334941]
* Starting in the week of October 6, on [[gitiles:operations/mediawiki-config/+/a2d2aaab9ace84280dd2f4c70a33bb69cd73850f/dblists/small.dblist|small wikis]] and [[gitiles:operations/mediawiki-config/+/a2d2aaab9ace84280dd2f4c70a33bb69cd73850f/dblists/medium.dblist|medium wikis]] that have the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CampaignEvents|CampaignEvents extension]] enabled, all autoconfirmed users will be able to use [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Event Center/Registration|Event Registration]] as an organizer. No changes will be made for [[gitiles:operations/mediawiki-config/+/a2d2aaab9ace84280dd2f4c70a33bb69cd73850f/dblists/large.dblist|large wikis]] unless requested in Phabricator. This change is being made to make it easier for more people to use Event Registration, especially on wikis that are less likely to have policies related to the Event Organizer right. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/CampaignEvents/Proposal to grant autoconfirmed users on small and medium wikis the organizer access to the event registration tool|Learn more]].
* Users that search using regular expressions (regex) can now use additional features including:
** for the <code dir=ltr>intitle:</code> keyword: [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:CirrusSearch#Metacharacters|metacharacters]] for start-of-line (<code dir=ltr>^</code>) and end-of-line (<code dir=ltr>$</code>) anchors [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T317599]
** for both <code dir=ltr>intitle:</code> and <code dir=ltr>insource:</code> keywords: shorthand [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:CirrusSearch#Character_Classes|character classes]] for digits (<code dir=ltr>\d</code>), whitespace (<code dir=ltr>\s</code>), and word characters (<code dir=ltr>\w</code>); and [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:CirrusSearch#Escape codes|escape codes]] for line feed (<code dir=ltr>\r</code>), newline (<code dir=ltr>\n</code>), tab (<code dir=ltr>\t</code>), and unicode (e.g. <code dir=ltr>\uHHHH</code>). [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T403212]
* When you search for text that looks like an IP, the system will now show search results. It used to take you to the contributions for that IP instead of showing search results. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T306325]
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/Server switch|All wikis will be read-only]] for a few minutes on September 24. This is planned at [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1758726000 15:00 UTC]. This is for the datacenter server switchover backup tests which happen twice a year. You can [[diffblog:2025/03/12/hear-that-the-wikis-go-silent-twice-a-year/|read more about the background and details of this process on the Diff blog]].
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:24}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:24|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, a bug was fixed that affected users who used the page-tabs to switch from wikitext editing of a section into the visualeditor. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T401043]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* The MediaWiki Interfaces team is redesigning the Wikimedia REST API Sandbox with Codex. If you have feedback on improvements for the API documentation or what makes developer experiences smooth (or frustrating), you’re invited to [https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ2aZzbXeQvjOF7gB1fJXiwAYemQjKf4sXNaRODPA7_obFyNBwkzNkoVCoTF-aeov89kIjXHbCQm join an upcoming discovery interview], or [[mw:MediaWiki Interfaces Team/Developer Feedback/Wikimedia Web APIs|leave feedback onwiki]]. [[listarchive:list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/C4FBAOA57PH6G5ORVMAUF5TGYBLZDU5Q/|Learn more]].
* Edits to Wikidata aliases (an alternative name for an item or a property) will now be shown in RecentChanges and Watchlist entries on other wikis less often, reducing unnecessary notifications. This will reduce the overall quantity of 'noisy' entries. Wikidata's own pages remain unchanged. [[m:Wikidata For Wikimedia Projects/Reduce change propagation noise#Phase 1: More granular Alias tracking|Learn more]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T401288]
* The new [https://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode17.0.0/ Unicode 17.0] version has been released. The [[:c:Category:Unicode Module Datasets|datasets on Commons]] for the [[:d:Q39301585|Module:Unicode data]] have been updated. Wikipedias that do not use the Commons datasets should either update their own data or switch to the Commons datasets.
* Users of the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Enterprise|Wikimedia Enterprise]] Structured Contents endpoints can now access [https://enterprise.wikimedia.com/blog/parsed-wikipedia-tables/ Parsed Tables]. The new Parsed Tables feature extracts and represents Wikipedia tables in structured JSON. This improves machine accessibility as part of the [https://enterprise.wikimedia.com/api/structured-contents/ Structured Contents initiative]. Structured Contents output is freely available through the [https://enterprise.wikimedia.com/docs/on-demand/#article-structured-contents-beta On-demand API], or through Wikimedia Cloud Services.
* A [https://www.kaggle.com/datasets/wikimedia-foundation/english-wikipedia-people-dataset dataset of English Wikipedia biographical information] from [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Enterprise|Wikimedia Enterprise]] has been published on Kaggle, for evaluation and research. This provides structured data from more than 1.5 million biographies, including birth and death dates, education, affiliations, careers, awards, and more (from a June 2024 snapshot).
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.19|MediaWiki]]
'''Meetings and events'''
* [[wmania:Special:MyLanguage/2026:Scholarships|Scholarship applications]] for Wikimania 2026 in Paris, France, are open until October 31.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/38|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W38"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 17:07, 15 September 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-39 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W39"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/39|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1758726000 On September 24th at 15:00 UTC], all Wikimedia sites users will experience a brief read-only period due to a scheduled [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/Server switch|datacenter server switchover]]. The Wikimedia Foundation's Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) team will redirect all traffic from one primary server to its backup. You can listen to the switchover using the [http://listen.hatnote.com/ "Listen to Wikipedia"] tool, where you will hear edits stop for a few minutes during the read-only phase, then resume. This twice-yearly datacenter server switchover ensures reliability by testing the backup datacenter, so that our sites can stay online even if the primary datacenter fails. You can [[diffblog:2025/03/12/hear-that-the-wikis-go-silent-twice-a-year/|read more about the process on the Diff blog]].
'''Updates for editors'''
* Editors of [[f:Special:Mylanguage/Wikifunctions:Status updates/2025-09-12#Next round of Wiktionaries to receive embedded Wikifunctions calls|60 more Wiktionaries]] will soon be able to call [[f:Special:MyLanguage/Wikifunctions:Introduction|functions from Wikifunctions]] and integrate them into their pages. A function takes one or more inputs and transforms them into a desired output, like adding numbers, converting miles to meters, calculating elapsed time, or declining a word into a case. They will join the other [[f:Special:MyLanguage/Wikifunctions:Status updates/2025-08-29#Wikifunctions available on 65 Wiktionaries|65 Wiktionary language editions]], which already have access to embedded Wikifunctions calls. Later this year, plans are in place to expand to more Wiktionaries and the Incubator.
* A new [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Magic words#Technical metadata of another page|parser function]] has been added: <code><nowiki>{{#contentmodel}}</nowiki></code>. Template editors and admins can use it to get the localized or canonical name of the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:ChangeContentModel|content model]] of a specific page. The function makes it easier to create and edit system messages, such as ''MediaWiki:editinginterface'', even when you switch types of pages, like wiki, JavaScript, CSS or JSON page. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T328254]
* Adding or editing a <code>DISPLAYTITLE</code> for an article using VisualEditor will no longer be broken. Editors who use VisualEditor mode to modify the <code><nowiki>{{DISPLAYTITLE}}</nowiki></code> would no longer have the literal text "DISPLAYTITLE" or its localized variant added to their articles. A list of pages that may have been affected and might need cleanup is documented in [[phab:P83438|this ticket]].
* Beta users of the Wikipedia Android app can now try the redesigned [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Team/Android/Activity Tab Experiment|Activity tab]], which replaces the Edits tab. The new tab offers personalized insights into reading, editing, and donation activity, while simplifying navigation and making app use more engaging.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:12}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:12|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.20|MediaWiki]]
'''In depth'''
* Wikifunctions users can now import many essential facts involving [[f:Special:MyLanguage/Z6011|geo-coordinates]], [[f:Special:MyLanguage/Z6010|quantities]] and [[f:Special:MyLanguage/Z6064|time]] values from Wikidata. This is made possible by the creation of Wikifunctions types for these values, which makes them available for use by functions in Wikifunctions. Learn more about how this works in [[c:File:ImportingWikidataDatatypesIntoWikifunctions.webm|this video]] and Wikifunctions' [[f:Special:MyLanguage/Wikifunctions:Status updates/2025-08-01#News in Types I: Wikidata quantity|August 1 newsletter]] (for quantities) and [[f:Special:MyLanguage/Wikifunctions:Status updates/2025-08-22#News in Types: Wikidata geo-coordinate|August 22 newsletter]] (for geo-coordinates).
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/39|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W39"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 22:55, 22 September 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-40 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W40"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/40|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* A major software upgrade has been made to [[phab:|Phabricator]]. The update introduces performance improvements, a refreshed search interface, enhancements to Maniphest task search, updates to user profile pages and project workboards, new Herald automation features, as well as general text input, mobile experience improvements and more. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/phame/post/view/321/iterative_improvements_september_2025/]
'''Updates for editors'''
* The Community Tech team will release the new Community Wishlist extension on October 1, that will improve the way wishes will be submitted. The new extension will allow users to add tags to their wishes to better categorise them, and (in a future iteration) to filter them by status, tags and focus areas. It will also be possible to support individual wishes again, as requested by the community in many instances. The old system will be retired. There will be a brief period of downtime while the extension is deployed and wishes are migrated to the new system. You can read more about this [[:m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist/Updates|in the latest update]] or you can consult the [[:mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CommunityRequests|current documentation on MediaWiki]].
* As announced [[diffblog:2025/09/02/better-detecting-bots-and-replacing-our-captcha/|on Diff blog]], the production trial of the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Product Safety and Integrity/Anti-abuse signals/hCaptcha|hCaptcha]] service for bot detection has begun. The trial is currently using hCaptcha to protect account creation on Chinese, Persian, Portuguese, Indonesian, Japanese, and Turkish Wikipedias, where it will replace our existing [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:ConfirmEdit#FancyCaptcha|CAPTCHA]] (FancyCaptcha). The goal with the trial is to better block bots while also improving usability and accessibility for users who encounter CAPTCHA challenges.
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CampaignEvents|CampaignEvents]] extension has been [[m:Special:MyLanguage/CampaignEvents/Deployment status|deployed]] to Wikimedia Commons. The extension makes it easier to organize and participate in collaborative activities, like edit-a-thons and WikiProjects, on the wikis. On Commons, anyone who is a registered user can use it as an event participant. To use it as an organizer, someone needs to have the [[c:Special:MyLanguage/Commons:Event organizers|event organizer right]].
* [[:m:Special:MyLanguage/WMDE Technical Wishes/Sub-referencing|Sub-referencing]], a new feature to re-use references with different details has been released to German Wikipedia. You can [[:m:Special:MyLanguage/WMDE Technical Wishes/Sub-referencing#test|test the feature]] on testwiki or [https://en.wikipedia.beta.wmcloud.org/wiki/Sub-referencing on betawiki] as well. Please share your thoughts on [[:m:Talk:WMDE Technical Wishes/Sub-referencing#Templates used in sub-references|using templates in sub-references]] or [[:m:Talk:WMDE Technical Wishes/Sub-referencing#Pilot wikis|volunteer to become a pilot wiki]].
* On wikis using the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Mentorship|Mentorship]] system, communities can now opt experienced editors out of Mentorship through [[{{#special:CommunityConfiguration/Mentorship}}]]. Within this setting, communities may define thresholds, based on edit count and account age, to decide when an editor is considered experienced enough to no longer receive Mentorship. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T403563]
* The Editing Team and the Machine Learning Team are working on a new check for newcomers: [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Edit check/Tone Check|Tone check]]. Using a prediction model, this check will encourage editors to improve the tone of their edits, using artificial intelligence. We invite volunteers to review the first version of the Tone language model for the following languages: Arabic, Czech, German, Hebrew, Indonesian, Dutch, Polish, Russian, Turkish, Chinese, Farsi, Italian, Norwegian, Romanian and Latvian. Users from these wikis interested in reviewing this model are [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Edit_check/Tone_Check/Model_evaluation|invited to sign up at MediaWiki.org]]. The deadline to sign up is on October 3, which will be the start date of the test.
* The rollout of [[:mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Manage blocks|multiblocks]] had the side effect that non-active block logs may have been shown on {{#special:Contributions}} and on blocked users' user and user_talk pages. This issue will be fully resolved in a few days. As part of the fix, [{{fullurl:Special:Allmessages|prefix=sp-contributions-blocked-notice}} messages prefixed with <code>sp-contributions-blocked-notice</code>] will be removed and replaced with [{{fullurl:Special:Allmessages|prefix=blocked-notice-logextract}} those prefixed with <code>blocked-notice-logextract</code>] in a few weeks. Please help translate the new messages and update any local overrides if needed.
* There was a bug with links added using visual editor if they included characters such as <code dir=ltr><nowiki>[ ] |</nowiki></code> after the fragment identifier (<code><nowiki>#</nowiki></code>). They were not encoded properly creating an incorrect link. This has been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T404823]
* One new wiki has been created: a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikiquote/en}} in [[d:Q9237|Malay]] ([[q:ms:|<code>q:ms:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T404698]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:21}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:21|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Product Safety and Integrity/Anti-abuse signals/User Info|User Info Card]] now displays currently active global lock/blocks. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T401128]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Later this week, editors using Lua modules will be able to use the <code>[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Scribunto/Lua reference manual#mw.title.newBatch|mw.title.newBatch]]</code> function to look up the existence of up to 25 pages at once, in a way that only increases the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Parser functions#Expensive parser functions|expensive function]] count once.
* A new [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Product and Technology Advisory Council/Unsupported Tools Working Group|Unsupported Tools Working Group]] has been formed as part of ongoing efforts to collectively determine technical work priorities, similar to the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Product and Technology Advisory Council|Product & Technology Advisory Council]] (PTAC). The working group will help prioritize and review requests for support of unmaintained extensions, gadgets, bots, and tools. For the first cycle, the group will be prioritizing an unsupported Wikimedia Commons tool.
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.21|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/40|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W40"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 20:52, 29 September 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-41 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W41"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/41|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Edit check#paste|Paste Check]] is a new Edit Check feature to help avoid and fight copyright violations. When editors paste text into an article, Paste Check prompts them to confirm the origin and licensing of the content. Starting Wednesday, 8 October, [[phab:T403680|22 wikis will test Paste Check]]. Paste Check will help new volunteers understand and follow the policies and guidelines necessary to make constructive contributions to Wikipedia projects.
'''Updates for editors'''
* Mobile devices will receive mobile articles directly on the standard domain (like <code>en.wikipedia.org</code>), instead of via a redirect to an "m" domain (like <code>en.m.wikipedia.org</code>). This change improves performance. This week it will be enabled on Wikipedias. The existing mobile URLs and the "Desktop view" opt-out remain available. [[mw:Requests for comment/Mobile domain sunsetting/2025 Announcement|Learn more]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T214998]
* New [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:CirrusSearch#creationdate and lasteditdate|date filters]], <code dir=ltr>creationdate:</code> and <code dir=ltr>lasteditdate:</code>, are now available in the wiki search engine. This allows users to filter search results by a page's first or last revision date. The filters support comparison operators (e.g. <code dir=ltr>>2024</code>) and relative dates (e.g. <code dir=ltr>today-1d</code>), making it easier to find recently updated content or pages within specific age ranges. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T403593]
* [[f:|Wikifunctions]] now supports rich text in embedded calls across the 150 wikis where it's enabled. To showcase this, the team created a [[f:Z26333|Latin declination table]] that Wiktionary editors can use to automatically generate noun forms, producing clear, formatted results — see an [[f:Wikifunctions:Embedded function calls/Wiktionary tables demonstration|example output]]. If you need any help or have any feedback, please [[f:Wikifunctions:Project chat|contact the Wikifunctions Team]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T397402]
* An edit link will now appear inside the categories box on article pages for logged in users, which will directly launch the VisualEditor category dialog. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T291691]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:34}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:34|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, there was a problem downloading pdf files last week and that has been resolved. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T405957]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* The field <code dir=ltr>rev_sha1</code> in the revision database table is being removed in favor of <code dir=ltr>content_sha1</code> in the content database table. See [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/cloud@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/2D2M3SP4WHR6BXXKTZ2PBLZQYR3EGQVR/ the announcement] for more information.
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web|Reader Experience team]] will roll out [[w:en:Light-on-dark color scheme|Dark Mode]] user interface on all Wikimedia sites on October 29, 2025. All anonymous users of Wikimedia sites will have the option to activate a color scheme that features light-colored text on a dark background. This is designed to provide a more comfortable reading experience, especially in low-light situations. Template authors and technical contributors are encouraged to [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reading/Web/Accessibility for reading/Updates/2024-04|learn how to make pages ready for Dark mode]] and address any compatibility issues found in templates in their wiki before the enablement. Please contact the Web team for questions or any support on [[mw:Talk:Reading/Web/Accessibility for reading#|this talk page]] before the enablement. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T395628]
* Starting on Monday, October 6, API endpoints under the <code>rest.php</code> path will be rerouted through a new internal API Gateway. Individual wikis will be updated based on the standard release groups, with total traffic increased over time. This change is expected to be non-breaking and non-disruptive. If any issues are observed, please file a Phabricator ticket to the [[phab:tag/serviceops/|Service Ops team board]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T400130]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.22|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/41|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W41"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 17:23, 6 October 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-42 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W42"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/42|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* Last week, improvements to account security and two-factor authentication (2FA) features were enabled across all wikis. These changes include user interface improvements for [https://auth.wikimedia.org/metawiki/wiki/Special:AccountSecurity Special:AccountSecurity], the support of multiple 2FA methods via authenticator apps and portable security keys (previously users could only enable one method), and a new Recovery Codes module which facilitates fewer account lockouts due to lost two-factor apps and devices. As part of the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Product Safety and Integrity/Account Security|Account Security]] project, work is continuing through the rest of 2025 on further user experience improvements, and support for passkeys as an alternate second factor.
'''Updates for editors'''
* Another part of the Account security project is making 2FA generally available to all users. Along with editors with advanced privileges, such as administrators and bureaucrats, 40% of editors now have access to 2FA. You can check if you have access at [https://auth.wikimedia.org/metawiki/wiki/Special:AccountSecurity Special:AccountSecurity]. Instructions for activation are on the linked page. The plan is to continue increasing availability if it is determined that the user support capabilities are able to support global usage. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T400579]
* This week, users at wikis where talk page [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project/Usability|Usability Improvements]] are already available by default (everywhere ''except'' the 12 wikis listed in [[phab:T379264|T379264]]) will gain the ability to Thank a comment directly from the talk page it appears on. Before this change, Thanking could only be done by visiting the revision history of the talk page. You can [[diffblog:2025/10/13/revolutionizing-gratitude-a-new-era-of-thanking-comments/|learn more about this change]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T366095]
* Users who have not [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-personal-email|verified their email address]] will soon be receiving monthly Notification reminders to do so. This is because users who have verified their email can more easily recover their account. These reminders will not be sent if the user is inactive or removes the unverified email from their account. [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Help:Email_confirmation][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T58074]
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:21}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:21|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, a fix was made for an occasional error with saving translated paragraphs in the Content Translation tool, and the related error messages are now easier to see. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T376531]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* The Unsupported Tools Working Group has chosen [[c:Special:MyLanguage/Commons:Video2commons|Video2Commons]] as the first tool for its pilot cycle. The group will explore ways to improve and sustain the tool over the coming months. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Product and Technology Advisory Council/Unsupported Tools Working Group|Learn more on Meta]].
* [[File:Octicons-sync.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.23|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/42|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W42"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 18:59, 13 October 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-43 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W43"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/43|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* To optimize how user data is stored in our databases, the saved preferences of users who haven't logged in for over five years and have fewer than 100 edits will be cleared. When those users return, default settings will apply. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T406724]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:20}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:20|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, there was a broken link from the GlobalContributions interface message to the XTools GlobalContributions page which has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T406415]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* The work to reroute all traffic to API endpoints under the <code dir=ltr><nowiki>rest.php</nowiki></code> route through a common API gateway is now complete. If any issues are observed, please file a phabricator ticket to the [[phab:tag/serviceops/|Service Ops team board]].
* Edits to Wikidata references or qualifiers will now be shown in RecentChanges and Watchlist entries on other wikis less often, reducing unnecessary notifications. This will reduce the overall quantity of 'noisy' entries. Wikidata's own pages remain unchanged. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T401290]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.24|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/43|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W43"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 19:36, 20 October 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-44 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W44"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/44|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* The Wikipedia iOS app has launched an A/B/C test of improvements made to the tabbed browsing feature for select regions and languages. The test, named “More dynamic tabs”, explores new tab experiences and includes “Did you know” and “Because you read” article recommendations. You can [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Team/iOS/Tabbed Browsing (Tabs)/New Tab Experience and Recommendations Experiment|read more on the project page]].
* Autoconfirmed users on [[gitiles:operations/mediawiki-config/+/a2d2aaab9ace84280dd2f4c70a33bb69cd73850f/dblists/small.dblist|small]] and [[gitiles:operations/mediawiki-config/+/a2d2aaab9ace84280dd2f4c70a33bb69cd73850f/dblists/medium.dblist|medium wikis]] with the CampaignEvents extension can now use [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Event Center/Registration|Event Registration]] without the Event Organizer right. This feature lets organizers enable registration, manage participants, and lets users register with one click instead of signing event pages.
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:31}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:31|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the issue of flashing colors when holding or pressing the arrow keys under the dark mode settings in Vector 2022 has been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T402285]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* The CampaignEvents extension will be deployed to all remaining wikis during the week of 17 November 2025. The extension currently includes three features: Event Registration, Collaboration List, and Invitation List. For this rollout, Invitation List will not be enabled on Wikifunctions and MediaWiki unless requested by those communities. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/CampaignEvents/Deployment status|Visit the deployment page to learn more]].
* The SwaggerUI-based REST sandbox experience is now live on all wiki projects. The sandbox can be accessed through the [[{{#special:RestSandbox}}]] page. Please report any issues to the MediaWiki Interfaces team board, or join the discussion on the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/MediaWiki Interfaces Team/Feature Feedback/REST Sandbox|project launch]] page. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/project/board/6931/]
* Transform endpoints with a trailing slash path in the MediaWiki REST API are now marked as deprecated. They will remain functional during this time, but removal is expected by the end of January 2026. All API users currently calling them are encouraged to transition to the non-trailing slash versions. Both endpoint variations can be found and tested using the [https://test.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?api=mw-extra&title=Special%3ARestSandbox REST Sandbox]. See the [[mw:API/Deprecation|MediaWiki REST API Deprecation]] page for more detailed information about the API deprecation policies and procedures.
* A dedicated [[mw:API:REST API/Changelog|changelog now exists for the MediaWiki REST API]]. The changelog provides an overview of these changes, making it easier for developers to keep track of improvements and iterations. Announcements will also continue to flow through the standard communication channels, including Tech News and email distribution lists, but can now be more easily referenced from a central location. If you have feedback about the style, structure, or content of this changelog, please [[mw:API talk:REST API/Changelog|join the discussion]].
* Administrators can delete the tracking category which was previously added by the JsonConfig extension, as it is no longer used. See the categories linked from [[d:Q130635582#sitelinks-wikipedia|Q130635582]]. It is OK if there are still pages listed in the category as that is just a caching issue, and they will be automatically cleared out the next time each page is edited. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T378352]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.25|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/44|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W44"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 19:31, 27 October 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-45 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W45"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/45|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* Administrators will now find that [[{{#special:MergeHistory}}]] is now significantly more flexible about what it can merge. It can now merge sections taken from the middle of the history of the source (rather than only the start) and insert revisions anywhere in the history of the destination page (rather than only the start). [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T382958]
* For users with "{{int:discussiontools-preference-autotopicsub}}" [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-editing|enabled in their preferences]], starting a new topic or adding a reply to an existing topic will now subscribe them to replies to that topic. Previously, this would only happen if the DiscussionTools "{{int:Skin-action-addsection}}" or "{{int:Discussiontools-replybutton}}" widgets were used. When DiscussionTools was originally launched existing accounts were not opted in to automatic topic subscriptions, so this change should primarily affect newer accounts and users who have deliberately changed their preferences since that time. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T290778]
* Scribunto modules can now be used to [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Scribunto/Lua reference manual#SVG library|generate SVG images]]. This can be used to build charts, graphics and other visualizations dynamically through Lua, reducing the need to compose them externally and upload them as files. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T405861]
* Wikimedia sites now provide all anonymous users with the option to enable a dark mode color scheme, featuring light-colored text on a dark background. This enhancement aims to deliver a more enjoyable reading experience, especially in dimly lit environments. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T395628]
* Users with large watchlists have long faced timeouts when editing [[Special:EditWatchlist|Special:EditWatchlist]]. The page now loads entries in smaller sections instead of all at once due to a paging update, allowing everyone to edit their watchlists smoothly. As part of the database update, sorting by expiry has been removed because it was over 100× slower than sorting by title. A [https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Community_Wishlist/W454 community wish] has been created to explore alternative ways to restore sort-by-expiry. If this feature is important to you, please support the wish! [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T41510]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:31}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:31|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the fixing of the persisting highlighting when using VisualEditor find and replace during a query. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T407318]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Since 2019 the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia URL Shortener|Wikimedia URL Shortener]] at https://w.wiki is available for all Wikimedia wikis to create short links to articles, permalinks, diffs, etc. It is available in the sidebar as "Get shortened URL". There are 30 wikis that also install an older "ShortUrl" extension. The old extension will soon be removed. This means <code>/s/</code> URLs will not be advertised under article titles via HTML <code dir=ltr>class="title-shortlink"</code>. The <code>/s/</code> URLs will keep working. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T107188]
* On Thursday, October 30, the [[:mw:Special:MyLanguage/MediaWiki Interfaces Team|MediaWiki Interfaces]] and [[:mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Site Reliability Engineering|SRE Service Operations]] teams began rerouting Action API traffic through a common API gateway. Individual wikis will be updated based on the standard release groups, with total traffic increased over time. This change is expected to be non-breaking and non-disruptive. If any issues are observed, please file a Phabricator ticket to the [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/tag/serviceops/ Service Ops team] board.
* MediaWiki Train deployments will pause for the final two weeks of 2025: 22 December and 29 December. Backport windows will also pause between Monday, 22 December 2025 and Thursday, 2 January 2026. A backport window is a scheduled time to add things like bug fixes and configuration changes. There are seven deployment trains remaining for 2025. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/SMWTEAES4SDLDUSK4HMWNBSKNCXZAWYN/]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.45/wmf.26|MediaWiki]]
'''In depth'''
* In 2025, the Wikimedia Foundation reported that AI systems and search engines increasingly use Wikipedia content without driving users to the site, contributing to an 8% drop in human pageviews compared to 2024. After detecting bots disguised as humans, Wikimedia updated its traffic data to reflect this shift. Read more about current user trends on Wikipedia in [[diffblog:2025/10/17/new-user-trends-on-wikipedia/|a Diff blog post]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/45|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W45"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 19:34, 3 November 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-46 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W46"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/46|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
[[File:Talk pages default look (April 2023).jpg|thumb|alt=Screenshot of the visual improvements made on talk pages|Example of a talk page with the new design, in French.]]
* Starting November 12, users will see a change in the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Talk pages project/Feature summary#Usability improvements|appearance of talk pages]] on [[Phab:T379264|some Wikipedias]]. Almost [[phab:T392121|all wikis]] have received this design change; [[phab:T409297|English Wikipedia]] will get these changes later. You can read more [[diffblog:2024/05/02/making-talk-pages-better-for-everyone/|on ''Diff'']]. Users can opt out of these changes [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-editing|in their user preferences]] in "{{int:discussiontools-preference-visualenhancements}}". [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T379264]
* MediaWiki can now display a [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Protection indicators|page indicator]] automatically while a page is protected. This feature is disabled by default. It can be enabled by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Requesting wiki configuration changes|community request]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T12347]
* Using the "{{int:showpreview}}" or "{{int:showdiff}}" buttons in the wikitext editor will now carry over certain URL parameters like '[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Parameters to index.php#useskin|useskin]]', '[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Parameters to index.php#uselang|uselang]]' and '[[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Section#Editing sections|section]]'. This update also fixes an issue where, if the browser crashed while previewing an edit to a single section, saving this edit could overwrite the entire page with just that section’s content. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T62744][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T24029][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T155097]
* Wikivoyage wikis can use [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:Kartographer#Markers and counters|colored map markers in the article text]]. The text of these markers will now be shown in contrasting black or white color, instead of always being white. Local workarounds for the problem can be removed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T369454]
* The Activity tab in the Wikipedia Android app is now available for all users. The new tab offers personalized insights into reading, editing, and donation activity, while simplifying navigation and making app use more engaging. [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Apps/Team/Android/Activity_Tab_Experiment]
* The Reader Growth team is launching an experiment called "Image browsing" to test how to make it easier for readers to browse and discover images on Wikipedia articles. This experiment, a mobile-only A/B test, will go live on English Wikipedia in the week of November 17 and will run for four weeks, affecting 0.05% of users on English wiki. The test launched on November 3 on Arabic, Chinese, French, Indonesian, and Vietnamese wikis, affecting up to 10% of users on those wikis. [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Readers/Reader_Growth/WE3.1.3_Image_Browsing]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:27}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:27|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example the inability to lock accounts on mobile sites has been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T256185]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* [[wikitech:Help talk:Toolforge/Toolforge standards committee#November 2025 committee nominations|Nominations are open on Wikitech]] for new [[wikitech:Help:Toolforge/Toolforge standards committee|Toolforge standards committee]] members. The committee oversees the Toolforge [[wikitech:Help:Toolforge/Right to fork policy|Right to fork policy]] and [[wikitech:Help:Toolforge/Abandoned tool policy|Abandoned tool policy]] among other duties. Nominations will remain open through 2025-11-28.
* The [[w:JSON Web Token#Standard fields|JWT issuer field]] in [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/OAuth/For Developers#OAuth 2|OAuth 2 access tokens]] for [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Unified login|SUL wikis]] has been changed to <code><nowiki>https://meta.wikimedia.org</nowiki></code>. Old access tokens will still work. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T399199]
* The [[w:JSON Web Token#Standard fields|JWT subject field]] in [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/OAuth/For Developers#OAuth 2|OAuth 2 access tokens]] will soon change from <code><user id></code> to <code dir=ltr style="white-space:nowrap">mw:<identity type>:<user id></code>, where <code><identity type></code> is typically <code dir=ltr>CentralAuth:</code><!-- not a typo --> (for [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Unified login|SUL wikis]]) or <code dir=ltr style="white-space:nowrap">local:<wiki id></code> (for other wikis). This is to avoid conflicts between different user ID types, and to make OAuth 2 access tokens and the <code>sessionJwt</code> cookie more similar. Old access tokens will still work. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T399199]
* MediaWiki's block messages ([[MediaWiki:Blockedtext|blockedtext]], [[MediaWiki:Blockedtext-partial|blockedtext-partial]], [[MediaWiki:Autoblockedtext|autoblockedtext]], [[MediaWiki:Systemblockedtext|systemblockedtext]], [[MediaWiki:Blockedtext-tempuser|blockedtext-tempuser]], [[MediaWiki:Autoblockedtext-tempuser|autoblockedtext-tempuser]]) now support additional parameters indicating whether the user is blocked from editing their own user talk page <code><nowiki>$9</nowiki></code> or emailing other users <code><nowiki>$</nowiki><nowiki>10</nowiki></code>. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T285612]
* A <code>REL1_45</code> branch for MediaWiki core and each of the extensions and skins in Wikimedia git has been created. This is the first step in the release process for MediaWiki 1.45.0, scheduled for late November 2025. If you are working on a critical bug fix or working on a new feature, you may need to take note of this change. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/ZUY7TY3Z6XPZWZVAZV63OPO5OW52Q6GE/]
* The process for generating CirrusSearch dumps has been updated due to slowing performance. If you encounter any issues migrating to the replacement dumps, please contact the Search Platform Team for support. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T366248][https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/3KQPOR6ACVN6OVLMLZPIBXQSWQKW4E3K/]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.2|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/46|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W46"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 20:38, 10 November 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-47 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W47"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/47|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Readers/Reader Experience|Reader Experience team]] is experimenting with [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Readers/Reader Experience/WE3.3.4_Reading lists|reading lists on mobile web]], allowing logged-in readers with no edits to save private lists of articles for later. The experiment is running on Arabic, Chinese, French, Indonesian, and Vietnamese Wikipedias since the week of 10 November, and will begin on English Wikipedia the week of 17 November.
* Users who can’t receive their email verification code during login can now get help by submitting a form on a new special page. This update is part of the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Product Safety and Integrity/Account Security|Account Security]] initiative. If your account has an email address, please make sure you still have access to it. When logging in from a new device or location without 2FA, you may be asked to enter a 6-digit code sent by email to finish logging in. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Product Safety and Integrity/Account Security#Why are you requiring me to enter a code from my email to log in? Can I opt out of this?|Learn more]].
* One new wiki has been created: a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikisource}} in [[d:Q13324|Minangkabau]] ([[s:min:|<code>s:min:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T408317]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:23}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:23|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* As part of the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Parsoid/Parser Unification|Parser Unification]] project, the Content Transform Team rolled out Parsoid as the default parser to many low-traffic Wikipedias and is preparing the next step to high traffic ones. This message is an invitation for you to opt-in to Parsoid, as described in the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:ParserMigration|Extension:ParserMigration]] documentation, and identify any issues you might encounter with your own workflow using bots, gadgets, or user scripts. Please, let us know through the ''"Report Visual Bug"'' link in the Tools sidebar or create a phab ticket and tag the [[phab:project/view/5846|Content Transform Team in Phabricator]].
* Unsupported Tools: Several issues with [[:c:Special:MyLanguage/Commons:Video2commons|Video2Commons]] have been fixed, including filename-related upload failures, black-video imports, and retry handling. AV1 support has also been added. Ongoing work focuses on backend stability, ffmpeg errors, subtitle imports, metadata handling, and playlist uploads. To track specific tasks, check the [[phab:tag/video2commons/|Phabricator board]].
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.3|MediaWiki]]
'''Meetings and events'''
* Save the date for the next Wikimedia Hackathon happening in Milan, Italy from May 1–3, 2026. Registration will open in January 2026. [https://pretix.eu/wikimedia/Hackathon-2026/ Scholarship applications are currently open], and will close on November 28, 2025. If you have any questions, please email <bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">hackathon@wikimedia.org</bdi>.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/47|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W47"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 17:26, 17 November 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-48 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W48"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/48|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* Last week, the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Search Platform|Wikimedia Search Team]] recreated the "DWIM" (Do What I Mean) gadget functionality server-side, for Russian and Hebrew Wikipedias. This feature adds cross-keyboard suggestions to the standard search-box suggestions. For example, searching for ''<span lang="und" dir="ltr">cxfcnmt</span>'' on Russian Wikipedia will now add suggestions for ''<span lang="ru" dir="ltr">счастье</span>'' ("happiness") that the user probably intended. They plan to enable this feature for other Russian and Hebrew wikis this week. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T408734]
* Later this week, users of the "{{int:codemirror-beta-feature-title}}" [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-betafeatures|beta feature]] will have syntax highlighting available in [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:DiscussionTools|DiscussionTools]]. This requires that the "{{int:discussiontools-preference-sourcemodetoolbar}}" preference be set. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T407918]
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CampaignEvents|Campaign events extension]] – the set of tools for coordinating events and other on-wiki collaborations has now been deployed to all Wikimedia wikis. A new feature known as [[m:Special:MyLanguage/CampaignEvents/Collaborative contributions|Collaborative contribution]] to help organizers and participants see the impact of activities has also been added. Join the upcoming [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Event:Connection learning session 3|learning session]] to see the new feature in action and share your feedback.
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:24}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:24|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the bug which stopped CodeReviewBot from working, has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T410417]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Users of Wikimedia API can join a usability study to help validate the new design of Wikimedia REST API sandboxes. Interested participants should fill the [https://wikimediafoundation.limesurvey.net/487662 recruitment survey]. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/IREJRRWTZTGCYWQHDMSNJFTQAEPOOAE3/]
* The MediaWiki Interfaces team is deprecating XSLT stylesheets within the Action API. Support for <code dir=ltr>format=xml'''&xlst={stylesheet}'''</code> will be removed from Wikimedia projects by the end of November, 2025. In addition, it will soon be disabled by default in MediaWiki release versions: v1.43 (LTS), v1.44, and v1.45. Support for XSLT stylesheets will be fully removed from MediaWiki v1.46 (expected to release between April and May 2026). [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/5AX7UWAVVUNUSBOIRHMNOKWOZ5EZI3JX/]
* The WDQS legacy endpoint ([https://query-legacy-full.wikidata.org/ query-legacy-full.wikidata.org]) will be decommissioned at the end of December 2025, and finally closed down on 7th January 2026. After this date, users should expect requests to query.wikidata.org that require the full graph to fail or return invalid results if they are not rewritten to use SPARQL federation. The team encourages users to ensure that tools and workflows use the supported WDQS endpoints (<span dir=ltr><nowiki>https://query.wikidata.org/</nowiki></span> - Main graph or <span dir=ltr><nowiki>https://query-scholarly.wikidata.org/</nowiki></span> - Scholarly graph). For support with migrating use cases, please review the [[d:Special:MyLanguage/Wikidata:Data_access|Data Access]] and [[d:Wikidata:Request_a_query|Request a Query]] pages for details and assistance on alternative access methods.
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.4|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/48|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W48"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 15:56, 24 November 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-49 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W49"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/49|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* The Wikipedia Year in Review 2025 will be available on December 2 for users of iOS and Android Wikipedia apps, featuring new personalized insights, updated reading highlights, and refreshed designs. Learn more on the review's [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Team/Wikipedia Year in Review/Updates|project page]].
* The Growth team is working on improving the text and presentation of the Verification Email sent to new users to make them more welcoming, useful and informative. Some new text have been drafted for A/B testing and you can help by translating them. See [[phab:T396155|Phabricator]].
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Tools/Add a link|Add a link]] will now be deployed at Japanese, Urdu and Chinese Wikipedias on December 2. Add a link is based on a prediction model that suggests links to be added to articles. While this feature has already been available on most Wikipedias, the prediction model could not support certain languages. A new model has now been developed to handle these languages, and it will be gradually rolled out to other Wikipedias over time. If you would like to know more, please contact [[mw:user:Trizek (WMF)|Trizek (WMF)]].
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:34}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:34|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the issue where search boxes on some Commons pages showed no results due to switch from SpecialSearch to MediaSearch, has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T399476]
* Two new wikis have been created:
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikipedia}} in [[d:Q36846|Toki Pona]] ([[w:tok:|<code>w:tok:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T404457]
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikiquote}} in [[d:Q33655|Nigerian Pidgin]] ([[q:pcm:|<code>q:pcm:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T408318]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.5|MediaWiki]]
'''In depth'''
* The Wikimedia Foundation is in the early stages of exploring approaches to '''Article guidance'''. The initiative aims to identify interventions that could help new editors easily understand and apply existing Wikipedia practices and policies when creating an article. The project is in the exploration and early experimental design phase. All community members are encouraged to [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Article guidance|learn more]] about the project, and share their thoughts on [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Talk:Article guidance|the talk page]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/49|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W49"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 18:57, 1 December 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-50 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W50"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/50|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* Anybody who wishes to secure their user account can now use [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Two-factor authentication|two-factor authentication]] (2FA). This is available to all registered users of all Wikimedia projects. This is part of the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Product Safety and Integrity/Account Security|Account Security]] initiative. Later, 2FA will be required for all users who can take security- or privacy-sensitive actions.
'''Updates for editors'''
* Following last week's deployments, the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Growth/Tools/Add a link|Add a link]] feature, which allows editors to add suggested links during editing, will be available to an additional [[Phab:T410469|33 Wikipedias]] starting on 9 December. This expansion is possible thanks to the new prediction model that now supports all languages, including those that were previously not covered. While the feature has been available on most Wikipedias for some time, this rollout brings us closer to using the improved model everywhere. If you have any questions or would like more details please contact [[mw:user:Trizek (WMF)|Trizek (WMF)]].
* Last week, the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Search Platform|Search Platform team]] added [[w:en:Transliteration|transliterated]] as-you-type search suggestions to Georgian wikis. If there are only a few regular search suggestions, then queries in Latin or Cyrillic script [[phab:T127003|are now rewritten into Georgian script]] to look for more matches. For example, searching for either <bdi lang="ka-Latn" dir="ltr">''bedniereba''</bdi> or <bdi lang="ka-Cyrl" dir="ltr">''бедниереба''</bdi> will now suggest the existing article about <bdi lang="ka" dir="ltr">ბედნიერება</bdi> ("happiness"). You can recommend other languages where transliterated suggestions would be useful [[phab:T375215|on Phabricator]] for future development.
* Later this week, a controlled experiment will begin for editors on the 100 largest Wikipedias who are editing a section in the mobile web visual editor. 50% of these editors will notice a new "Edit full page" button that will enable them to expand their editing session to the whole page. This feature is intended to make it easier for people on mobile web to edit any article section, regardless of which section-edit icon they tapped to begin. The experiment will last ~4 weeks. You can find [[phab:T409112|more details]] about the project.
* Later this week, the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Readers/Reader Growth|Reader Growth team]] will launch a [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Readers/Reader Growth/WE3.1.14 Expanded Mobile Sections|mobile web experiment]] to expand all article sections by default (currently they are collapsed by default) and pin the section header the user is currently reading to the top of the page. The experiment will affect 10% of users on Arabic, Chinese, French, Indonesian, and Vietnamese Wikipedias. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T409485]
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Team/Wikipedia Year in Review/2025 Year in Review|Wikipedia Year in Review 2025]], a feature in the Wikipedia mobile apps (iOS and Android) that provides users with a personalised summary of their engagement with Wikipedia over the year, is now available on the iOS and Android apps. This edition includes expanded personalised insights, improved reading highlights, new donor messaging, and updated designs. Open the app to view your Year in Review and explore your reading journey from 2025.
* A recent software bug caused edits made with VisualEditor to make unintended changes to wikitext, including removing whitespace and replacing spaces with underscores in wikilinks inside citations. This was partially fixed last week, and further fixes are in progress. Editors who used VisualEditor between November 28 and December 2 should review their edits for unexpected modifications. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T411238]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:23}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:23|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the incorrect handling of URLs copied from the address bar of Microsoft Edge users, has been resolved. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T341281]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Starting this week, users of the "{{int:codemirror-beta-feature-title}}" [[Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-betafeatures|beta feature]] will have [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror|CodeMirror]] as the editor for Lua, JavaScript, CSS, JSON and Vue content models, instead of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeEditor|CodeEditor]]. With this, the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror#Linting|linters]] will be upgraded. This is part of a larger effort to eventually replace CodeEditor and provide a consistent code editing experience. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T373711]
* Developers are encouraged to take the [https://wikimediafoundation.limesurvey.net/552643 2025 Developer Satisfaction Survey], which remains open until 5 January 2026. If you build software for the Wikimedia ecosystem and would like to share your experiences or feedback, your participation is greatly appreciated. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/W4WBKO6Q55UWWCCSFWQATKEXBEHP3QNR/]
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/50|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W50"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 17:45, 8 December 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-51 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W51"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/51|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:18}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:18|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, one of the fixes addressed an issue for temporary accounts adding an external URL, which triggered an hCaptcha request in more cases than intended, and did not display the required popup on the first attempt to publish the edit. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T411927]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* To improve database and site performance, external links to Wikimedia projects will no longer be stored in the database. This means they will not be searchable in [[{{#special:LinkSearch}}]], will not be checked by the Spam Blacklist or AbuseFilter as new links, and will not be in the <code dir=ltr>externallinks</code> table on database replicas. In the future this may be extended to other highly-linked trusted websites on a per-wiki basis, such as Creative Commons links on Wikimedia Commons. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T405005]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.7|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/51|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W51"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 19:03, 15 December 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2025-52 ==
<section begin="technews-2025-W52"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/52|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* From January, edit filters [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:AbuseFilter/Access flags|can be set]] to automatically suppress their details such as rules and list of attempted edits and actions. This will help oversighters use edit filters to prevent doxxing or other suppressible material. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T290324]
* The next issue of Tech News will be sent out on 12 January 2026 because of the end of year holidays. Thank you to all of the translators, and people who submitted content or feedback, this year.
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:16}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:16|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the crash that occurred when tapping "First Steps" in the Wikipedia Android Year in Review has now been fixed, and the feature opens as expected. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T411546]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Interface elements such as diffs and categories generated by MediaWiki used to have the attribute <code dir=ltr>data-mw="interface"</code> to distinguish from wiki content. The attribute has been replaced with <code dir=ltr>data-mw-interface=""</code>, to avoid potential conflicts with other <code dir=ltr>data-mw</code> attributes, which are generated by Parsoid. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T409187]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] There is no new MediaWiki version this week or next week.
'''Meetings and events'''
* The [[mw:Wikimedia Hackathon Northwestern Europe 2026|Wikimedia Hackathon Northwestern Europe 2026]] will take place on 13-14 March 2026 in Arnhem, the Netherlands. Applications just opened mid-December and will close in mid-January or earlier if capacity is reached. With space for approximately 100 participants, early application is encouraged.
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/52|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2025-W52"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 21:45, 22 December 2025 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-03 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W03"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/03|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* The Wikimedia Foundation has shared some guiding questions for the July 2026–June 2027 Annual Plan on [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2026-2027/Product & Technology OKRs|Meta]] and ''[[diffblog:2025/12/10/shaping-wikimedia-foundations-2026-2027-annual-goals-key-questions-for-the-wikimedia-movement/|Diff]]''. These focus on global trends, faster and healthier experimentation, better support for newcomers, strengthening editors and advanced users, improving collaboration across projects, and growing and retaining readership. Feedback and ideas are welcome on the [[m:Talk:Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2026-2027|talk page]].
'''Updates for editors'''
* As part of the current work of Community Tech team on the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist/W372|Multiple watchlists]] project, the display of [[Special:EditWatchlist|EditWatchlist]] will be updated as a first step towards multiple watchlists. Additionally, the pagination on [[Special:Search|Search]] will be updated too, as a part of the work on the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Community Wishlist/W186|Revamp pagination / page navigation]] wish. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T411596]
* [[m:Special:GlobalWatchlist|The Global Watchlist]] is a MediaWiki [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:GlobalWatchlist|extension]] that lets you see your watchlists from different wikis on the same page. It was recently updated to look more like the regular [[Special:Watchlist|Watchlist]], such as preparing it for temporary accounts in IP masking (including rerouting user links to contributions pages), making page titles bold, and opening links in edit summaries and tags in new browser tabs. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T398361][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T298919][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T273526][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T286309]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:28}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:28|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the issue where global blocks did not have the option to disable sending emails, has now been fixed, and will be available for use in the week of January 13. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T401293]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/VisualEditor/Citation tool|VisualEditor citation tool]] and [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Reference Previews|Reference Previews]] now support "map" as a reference type. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T411083]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.10|MediaWiki]]/[[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.11|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/03|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W03"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 19:33, 12 January 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-04 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W04"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/04|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* The tray shown on [[Special:Diff|Special:Diff]] in mobile view has been redesigned. It is now collapsed by default, and incorporates a link to undo the edit being viewed, making it easier for mobile editors and reviewers to take action while keeping the interface uncluttered. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T402297]
* [[m:Special:GlobalWatchlist|The Global Watchlist]] lets you view your watchlists from multiple wikis on one page. The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:GlobalWatchlist|extension]] continues to improve — it now automatically determines the text direction (ensuring correct display of sites with unusual domain names) and shows detailed descriptions for log actions. Later this week, a new permanent link for page creations and CSS classes for each entry element will be added. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T412505][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T287929][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T262768][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T414135]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:32}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:32|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the previously observed issue in Vector 2022, where anchor link targets were obscured by the sticky header, has now been addressed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T406114]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* As mentioned in the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2025/44|October 2025 deprecation announcement]], MediaWiki Interfaces team will begin sunsetting all transform endpoints containing a trailing slash from the MediaWiki REST API the week of January 26. Changes are expected to roll out to all wikis on or before January 30th. All API users currently calling them are encouraged to transition to the non-trailing slash versions. Both endpoint variations can be found, compared, and tested using the [https://test.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:RestSandbox REST Sandbox]. If you have questions or encounter any problems, please file a ticket in Phabricator to the [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/project/view/6931/ #MW-Interfaces-Team board].
* Interactive reference documentation for the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia REST API|Wikimedia REST API]] has moved. Requests to API docs previously hosted through [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/RESTBase|RESTBase]] (e.g.: <code dir=ltr>https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/</code>) are now redirected to the [[w:en:Special:RestSandbox|REST Sandbox]].
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikidata Platform|WMF Wikidata Platform team]] (WDP) has published its [[d:Special:MyLanguage/Wikidata:Wikidata Platform team/Newsletter|January 2026 newsletter]]. It includes updates on the legacy full-graph endpoint decommissioning, the User-Agent policy change, the monthly Blazegraph migration office hours, and efforts to reduce regressions caused by the legacy endpoint shutdown. As a reminder, you can [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Global message delivery/Targets/WDP team updates|subscribe to the WDP newsletter]]!
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.12|MediaWiki]]
'''Meetings and events'''
* The [[mw:Wikimedia Hackathon Northwestern Europe 2026|Wikimedia Hackathon Northwestern Europe 2026]] will take place on 13-14 March 2026 in Arnhem, the Netherlands. Applications opened mid-December and will close soon or when capacity is reached. It's a two-day, technically oriented hackathon bringing together Wikimedians from the region. Hope to see you there!
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/04|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W04"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 20:29, 19 January 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-05 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W05"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/05|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* Wikimedia Foundation invites comments on [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Product and Technology Advisory Council/Year1 Reflections and Proposed Way Forward 2026 Update|proposed future]] of the [[:m:Special:MyLanguage/Product and Technology Advisory Council|Product and Technology Advisory Council]] until 28 February.
* All users with registered accounts can now use passkeys for [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Two-factor authentication|two-factor authentication]] (2FA). Passkeys are a simple way to log in without using a second device. They verify the user's identity using a fingerprint, face scan, or a PIN code. To set up a passkey, first set up a regular 2FA method. Currently, to log in with a passkey, users must also use a password. Later this quarter, passwordless login will allow users to log in with a single click and a passkey. Users with advanced rights will also be required to have 2FA enabled. This is part of the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Product Safety and Integrity/Account Security|Account Security]] project.
* Unregistered contributors on blocked IPs or blocked IP ranges can now interact on-wiki to appeal a block by creating a temporary account to appeal a block on the user talk page, unless the "prevent this user from editing their own talk page" is enabled. This solves the problem of logged-out users unable to use the default unblock process via user talk page. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T398673]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:20}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:20|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) methods description on the management page has been updated. It is now clearer and easier for users to understand and make use of. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T332385]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* A new AbuseFilter variable, <code>account_type</code>, has been added to provide a reliable way to determine the account type being created in the <code>createaccount</code> and <code>autocreateaccount</code> actions. As part of this change, the variable <code>accountname</code> has been renamed to <code>account_name</code>, and <code>accountname</code> is now deprecated. Edit filter managers should update any filters that use hardcoded account type checks or the deprecated variable. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T414049]
* Image thumbnails that are requested in non-standard sizes, and using non-standard methods such as direct requests to <code dir=ltr><nowiki>upload.wikimedia.org/…</nowiki></code> will stop working in the near future. This change is to prevent ongoing external abuse by web-scrapers and bots. Some users with custom CSS/JS, Interface Admins who can fix gadgets and local skins, and Tool-authors, will need to update their code to use standard thumbnail sizes. [[phab:T414805|Details, search-links, and examples of how to fix them, are available in the task]].
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.13|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/05|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W05"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 21:17, 26 January 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-06 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W06"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/06|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* The "{{int:pageinfo-toolboxlink}}" feature, which gives validating information about a page ([{{fullurl:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|action=info}} example]), now automatically includes a table of contents. If there is a local [[{{ns:8}}:Pageinfo-header]] page created by individual users, it can now be removed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T363726]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:21}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:21|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, VisualEditor previously added bold or italic formatting inside link descriptions, making the wikicode complex. This has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T409669]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* There was no XML dump on 20 January. Additionally, from now on, dumps will be generated once per month only. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T414389]
* The MediaWiki Interfaces team removed support for all transform endpoints containing a trailing slash from the [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/API:REST%20API MediaWiki REST API]. All API users currently calling those endpoints are encouraged to transition to the non-trailing slash versions. If you have questions or encounter any problems, please file a ticket in phabricator to the [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/project/view/6931/ #MW-Interfaces-Team board].
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.14|MediaWiki]]
'''Weekly highlight'''
* Users are reminded that the Wikimedia Foundation has shared some guiding questions for the July 2026–June 2027 Annual Plan on [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2026-2027/Product & Technology OKRs|Meta]] and ''[[diffblog:2025/12/10/shaping-wikimedia-foundations-2026-2027-annual-goals-key-questions-for-the-wikimedia-movement/|Diff]]''. These focus on global trends, faster and healthier experimentation, better support for newcomers, strengthening editors and advanced users, improving collaboration across projects, and growing and retaining readership. Feedback and ideas are welcome on the [[m:Talk:Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan/2026-2027|talk page]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/06|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W06"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 17:43, 2 February 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-07 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W07"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/07|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* [[File:Maki-gift-15.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Wishlist item]] Logged-in contributors who manage large or complex watchlists can now organise and filter watched pages in ways that improve their workflows with the new [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Watchlist labels|Watchlist labels]] feature. By adding custom labels (for example: pages you created, pages being monitored for vandalism, or discussion pages) users can more quickly identify what needs attention, reduce cognitive load, and respond more efficiently. This improves watchlist usability, especially for highly active editors.
* A new feature available on [[Special:Contributions|Special:Contributions]] shows [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts|temporary accounts]] that are likely operated by the same person, and so makes patrolling less time-consuming. Upon checking contributions of a temporary account, users with access to temporary account IP addresses can now see a view of contributions from the related temporary accounts. The feature looks up all the IPs associated with a given temporary account within the data retention period and shows all the contributions of all temporary accounts that have used these IPs. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Trust and Safety Product/Temporary Accounts#February 2026: Improvements to the patroller tooling|Learn more]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T415674]
* When editors preview a wikitext edit, the reminder box that they are only seeing a preview (which is shown at the top), now has a grey/neutral background instead of a yellow/warning background. This makes it easier to distinguish preview notes from actual warnings (for example, edit conflicts or problematic redirect targets), which will now be shown in separate warning or error boxes. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T414742]
* The [[m:Special:GlobalWatchlist|Global Watchlist]] lets you view your watchlists from multiple wikis on one page. The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:GlobalWatchlist|extension]] continues to improve — it now properly supports more than one Wikibase site, for example both [[d:|Wikidata]] and [[testwikidata:|testwikidata]]. In addition, issues regarding text direction have been fixed for users who prefer Wikidata or other Wikibase sites in right-to-left (RTL) languages. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T415440][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T415458]
* The automatic "magic links" for ISBN, RFC, and PMID numbers have been [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Magic links|deprecated in wikitext since 2021]] due to inflexibility and difficulties with localization. Several wikis have successfully replaced RFC and PMID magic links with equivalent external links, but a template was often required to replace the functionality of the ISBN magic link. There is now a new [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Magic words#isbn|built-in parser function]] <code dir=ltr><nowiki>{{#isbn}}</nowiki></code> available to replace the basic functionality of the ISBN magic link. This makes it easier for wikis who wish to migrate off of the deprecated magic link functionality to do so. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T145604]
* Two new wikis have been created:
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikipedia}} in [[d:Q35401|Jju]] ([[w:kaj:|<code>w:kaj:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T413283]
** a {{int:project-localized-name-group-wikipedia}} in [[d:Q1186896|Nawat]] ([[w:ppl:|<code>w:ppl:</code>]]) [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T413273]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:23}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:23|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]].
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* A new global user group has been created: [[{{int:grouppage-local-bot}}|{{int:group-local-bot}}]]. It will be used internally by the software to allow community bots to bypass rate limits that are applied to abusive [[w:en:Web scraping|web scrapers]]. Accounts that are approved as bots on at least one Wikimedia wiki will be automatically added to this group. It will not change what user permissions the bot has. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T415588]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.15|MediaWiki]]
'''Meetings and events'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/MediaWiki Users and Developers Conference Spring 2026|MediaWiki Users and Developers Conference, Spring 2026]] will be held March 25–27 in Salt Lake City, USA. This event is organized by and for the third-party MediaWiki community. You can propose sessions and register to attend. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/AZBWVI46SDEB65PGR5J6E4TYOQQEZXM7/]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/07|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W07"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 23:30, 9 February 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-08 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W08"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/08|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Site Reliability Engineering|SRE Team]] will be performing a cleanup of Wikimedia's [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Etherpad|Etherpad]] instance, the web-based editor for real-time collaborative document editing. All pads will be permanently deleted after 30 April, 2026 – if there are still migration projects in progress at that point the team can revisit the date on a case by case basis. Please create local backups of any content you wish to keep, as deleted data cannot be recovered. This cleanup helps reduce database size and minimize infrastructure footprint. Etherpad will continue to support real-time collaboration, but long-term storage should not be expected. Additional cleanups may occur in the future without prior notice. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T415237]
'''Updates for editors'''
* The Information Retrieval team will be launching an [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Readers/Information Retrieval/Phase 1|Android mobile app experiment]] that tests hybrid search capabilities which can handle both semantic and keyword queries. The improvement of on-platform search will enable readers to find what they’re looking for directly on Wikipedia more easily. The experiment will first be launched on Greek Wikipedia in late February, followed by English, French, and Portuguese in March. [https://diff.wikimedia.org/2026/01/08/semantic-search-making-it-easier-to-find-the-information-readers-want/ Read more] on Diff blog. [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Readers/Information_Retrieval]
* The Reader Growth team will run [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Readers/Reader Growth/WE3.10.2 Mobile Table of Contents|an experiment]] for mobile web users, that adds a table of contents and automatically expands all article sections, to learn more about navigation issues they face. The test will be available on Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Indonesian, and Vietnamese Wikipedias.
* Previously, site notices ([[{{ns:8}}:Sitenotice]] and [[{{ns:8}}:Anonnotice]]) would only render on the desktop site. Now, they will render on all platforms. Users on mobile web will now see these notices and be informed. Site administrators should be prepared to test and fix notices on mobile devices to avoid interference with articles. To opt out, interface admins can add <code dir="ltr">#siteNotice { display: none; }</code> to [[{{ns:8}}:Minerva.css]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T138572][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T416644]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:19}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:19|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, an issue on [[Special:RecentChanges|Special:RecentChanges]] has been fixed. Previously, clicking hide in the active filters caused the "view new changes since…" button to disappear, though it should have remained visible. The button now behaves as expected. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T406339]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* New documentation is now available to help editors debug on-site search features. It supports troubleshooting when pages do not appear in results, when ranking seems unexpected, and when you need to inspect what content is being indexed, helping make search behavior easier to understand and analyze. [[mw:Help:CirrusSearch/Debug|Learn more]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T411169]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.16|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/08|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W08"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 19:17, 16 February 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-09 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W09"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/09|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Edit check/Reference Check|Reference Check]] has been deployed to English Wikipedia, completing its rollout across all Wikipedias. The feature prompts newcomers to add a citation before publishing new content, helping reduce common citation-related reverts and improve verifiability. In A/B testing, the impact was substantial: newcomers shown Reference Check were approximately 2.2 times more likely to include a reference on desktop and about 17.5 times more likely on mobile web. [https://analytics.wikimedia.org/published/reports/editing/reference_check_ab_test_report_final_2025.html]
'''Updates for editors'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:InterwikiSorting|InterwikiSorting extension]], which allowed for the [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Interwiki sorting order|sorting of interwiki links]], has been undeployed from Wikipedia. As a result, editors who had enabled interwiki link sorting in non-compact mode (full list format) will now see links reordered. The links moving forward will be listed in the alphabetical order of language code. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T253764]
* Later this week, people who are editing a page-section using the mobile visual editor, will notice a new "Edit full page" button. When tapped, you will be able to edit the entire article. This helps when the change you want to make is outside the section you initially opened. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T387175][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T409112]
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Readers/Reader Experience|The Reader Experience team]] is inviting editors to assess whether dark mode should still be considered "beta" on their wiki, based on their experience of how well it functions on desktop and mobile. If the feature is deemed mature, editors can update the interface messages in <code dir=ltr>MediaWiki:skin-theme-description</code> and <code dir=ltr>MediaWiki:Vector-night-mode-beta-tag</code> to indicate that dark mode is ready and no longer considered beta.
* The improved [[mw:Wikimedia_Apps/Team/iOS/Activity_Tab|Activity tab]] which displays user-insights is now available to all users of the Wikipedia iOS app (version 7.9.0 and later). Following earlier A/B testing that showed higher account creation among users with access to the feature, it has been rolled out to 100% of users along with some updates. The Activity tab now shows your edited articles in the timeline, offers editing impact insights like contribution counts and article view trends, and customization options to improve in-app experience for users.
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:21}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:21|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, a bug that prevented [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:DiscussionTools|DiscussionTools]] from working on mobile has now been fixed, restoring full functionality. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T415303]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* The [[m:Special:GlobalWatchlist|Global Watchlist]] lets you view your watchlists from multiple wikis on one page. The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:GlobalWatchlist|extension]] that makes this possible continues to improve. The latest upgrade is the inclusion of a [[mw:Extension:GlobalWatchlist#hook|new hook]], <code dir=ltr>ext.globalwatchlist.rebuild</code>, which fires after each watchlist rebuild. This allows you to run gadgets and user scripts for the Special page. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T275159]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.17|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/09|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W09"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 19:03, 23 February 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-10 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W10"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/10|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* Wikipedia 25 [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikipedia 25/Easter egg experiments|Birthday mode]] is now live on Betawi, Breton, Chinese, Czech, Dutch, English, French, Gorontalo, Indonesian, Italian, Luxembourgish, Madurese, Sicilian, Spanish, Thai, and Vietnamese Wikipedias! This limited-time campaign feature celebrates 25 years of Wikipedia with a birthday mascot, Baby Globe. When turned on, Baby Globe is shown on [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikipedia 25/Easter egg experiments/article configuration|~2,500 articles]], waiting to be discovered by readers. Communities can choose to turn Birthday mode on by getting consensus from their community and asking an admin to enable the feature and customize it via [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikipedia 25/Easter egg experiments#Community Configuration Demo|community configuration]] on the local wiki.
'''Updates for editors'''
* [[:m:Special:MyLanguage/WMDE Technical Wishes/Sub-referencing|Sub-referencing]], a new feature to re-use references with different details has been released to Swedish Wikipedia, Polish Wikipedia and [[:phab:T418209|a couple of other wikis]]. You can [[:m:Special:MyLanguage/WMDE Technical Wishes/Sub-referencing#test|try the feature]] on these projects or on testwiki and [https://en.wikipedia.beta.wmcloud.org/wiki/Sub-referencing betawiki]. Learnings from the first pilot wiki German Wikipedia have been [[:m:Special:MyLanguage/WMDE Technical Wishes/Sub-referencing/Learnings|published in a report]]. Reach out to the Wikimedia Deutschland team if you are [[:m:Talk:WMDE Technical Wishes/Sub-referencing#Pilot wikis|interested in becoming a pilot wiki]].
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Edit check#Paste check|Paste Check]] will become available at all Wikipedias this week. The feature prompts newcomers who are pasting text they are not likely to have written into VisualEditor to consider whether doing so risks a copyright violation. Paste Check [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Edit check/Tags|tags]] all edits where it is shown for potential review. Local administrators can configure various aspects of the feature via [[{{#special:EditChecks}}]]. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Edit check/Paste Check#A/B Experiment|Research]] across 22 wikis found that Paste Check resulted in an 18% decrease in relative reverted-edits compared to the control group. Translators can [https://translatewiki.net/w/i.php?title=Special%3ATranslate&group=ext-visualeditor-ve-mw-editcheck&filter=&optional=1&action=translate help to localize] this and related features.
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Readers/Reader Experience|Reader Experience team]] will be standardizing the user menu in the top right for all mobile users so that it is closer to the desktop experience. Currently this user menu is only visible to users with Advanced Mobile Controls (AMC) turned on. The only change is that a couple buttons previously in the left-side menu will move to the top right for users who do not have AMC turned on. This change is expected to go out March 9 and seeks to improve the user interface. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T413912]
* Starting in the week of March 2, the emails sent out when an email address was added, removed, or changed for an account will switch to a substantially nicer and clearer HTML email from the prior plaintext one. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T410807]
* Notifications are currently limited to 2,000 historic entries per user, and extend back to 2013 when the feature was released. This is going to be changed to only store Notifications from the last 5 years, but up to 10,000 of them. This will help with long-term infrastructure health and help to prevent more recent notifications from disappearing too soon. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T383948]
* The [[m:Special:GlobalWatchlist|Global Watchlist]] which lets you view your watchlists from multiple wikis on a single page continues to see improvements. The latest update improves label usage experience. The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:GlobalWatchlist|extension]] now allows activating the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Language#Fallback languages|language fallback system]] for Wikidata items without labels in the viewed language, and showing those labels in the user’s preferred Wikidata language if no <code dir=ltr>uselang=</code> URL parameter is provided. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T373686][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T416111]
* The Wikipedia Android team has started a beta test of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Readers/Information Retrieval/Phase 1|hybrid search]] on Greek Wikipedia. Hybrid search capabilities can handle both semantic and keyword queries enabling readers to find what they’re looking for directly on Wikipedia more easily.
* For security reasons, members of certain user groups are [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Mandatory two-factor authentication for users with some extended rights|required to have two-factor authentication]] (2FA) enabled. Currently, 2FA is required to use the group, but not to be a member of it. Given that this model still has some vulnerabilities, the situation will [[phab:T418580|gradually change in March]]. Members of these groups will be unable to disable last 2FA method on their account, and it will be impossible to add users without 2FA to these groups. Users will still be able to add new authentication methods or remove them, as long as at least one method is continuously enabled. In the second half of March, users without 2FA will be removed from these groups. This applies to: CentralNotice administrators, checkusers, interface administrators, suppressors, Wikidata staff, Wikifunctions staff, WMF Office IT and WMF Trust & Safety. Nothing will change for other users. See the linked task for deployment schedule. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T418580]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:27}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:27|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the issue preventing users from creating an instance in [https://www.wikibase.cloud/ Wikibase.cloud] has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T416807]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* To help ensure [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/MediaWiki Product Insights/Responsible Reuse|fair use of infrastructure]], over the next month the Wikimedia Foundation will implement global API rate limits across our APIs. In early March, stricter limits will be applied to unidentified requests from outside Toolforge/WMCS and API requests that are made from web browsers. In April, higher limits will be applied to identified traffic. These limits are intentionally set as high as possible to minimise impact on the community. Bots running in Toolforge/WMCS or with the bot user right on any wiki should not be affected for now. However, all developers are advised to follow updated best practices. For more information, see [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia APIs/Rate limits|Wikimedia APIs/Rate limits]].
* The Wikidata Query Service Linked Data Fragment (LDF) endpoint will be decommissioned in February. This endpoint served limited traffic, which was successfully migrated to other data access methods that were better suited to support existing use cases. The hardware used to support the LDF endpoint will be reallocated to support the ongoing backend migration efforts. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T415696]
* The new Parsoid parser [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Parsoid/Parser Unification/Updates|continues to be deployed to additional wikis]], improving platform sustainability and making it easier to introduce new reading and editing features. Parsoid is now the default parser on 488 WMF wikis (268 Wikipedias), now covering more than 10% of all Wikipedia page views.
* The process and criteria for [[Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Enterprise#Access|requesting exceptional access]] to the high volume feed of the ''Wikimedia Enterprise'' APIs (at no cost for mission-aligned usecases), [[m:Talk:Wikimedia Enterprise#Exceptional access criteria|have now been published]]. This is to provide more thorough and clearer documentation for users.
* [https://techblog.wikimedia.org/ Tech Blog], the blog dedicated to the Wikimedia technical community [https://techblog.wikimedia.org/2026/02/24/a-tech-blog-diff/ will be migrating] to [[diffblog:|Diff]], the community news and event blog. The migration should be complete in April 2026, after which new posts will be accepted for publishing. Readers will be able to access posts – old and new – on the landing page at https://diff.wikimedia.org/techblog.
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.18|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/10|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W10"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 17:51, 2 March 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-11 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W11"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/11|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/Server switch|All wikis will be read-only]] for a few minutes on Wednesday, 25 March 2026 at [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1774450800 15:00 UTC]. This is for the datacenter server switchover backup tests, [[wikitech:Deployments/Yearly calendar|which happen twice a year]]. During the switchover, all Wikimedia website traffic is shifted from one primary data center to the backup data center to test availability and prevent service disruption even in emergencies.
* Last week, all wikis had 2 hours of read-only time, and extended unavailability for user-scripts and gadgets. This was due to a security incident which has since been resolved. Work is ongoing to prevent re-occurrences. For current information please see the [[m:Steward's noticeboard#Statement on Meta about today's user script security incident|post on the Stewards' noticeboard]] ([[m:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Foundation/Product and Technology/Product Safety and Integrity/March 2026 User Script Incident|translations]]).
'''Updates for editors'''
* Users facing multiple blocks on mobile will now see the reasons for each block separately, instead of a generic message. This helps them understand why they are blocked and what steps they can take to resolve the issue. For example, users affected for using common VPNs (such as [[Special:MyLanguage/Apple iCloud Private Relay|iCloud Private Relay]]) will receive clearer guidance on what they need to do to start editing again. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T357118]
* Later this week, [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/VisualEditor/Suggestion Mode|Suggestion Mode]] will become available as a beta feature within the visual editor at all Wikipedias. This feature proactively suggests various types of actions that people can consider taking to improve Wikipedia articles, and learn about related guidelines. The feature is locally configurable, and can also be locally expanded with custom Suggestions. Current settings can be seen at [[Special:EditChecks]] and there are [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Suggestion mode#For administrators %E2%80%93 local customization|instructions for how administrators can customize]] the links to point to local guidelines. The feature is connected to [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Edit check|Edit check]] which suggests improvements while someone is writing new content. In the future, the Editing team plans to evaluate the feature's impact with newcomers through a controlled experiment. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T404600]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:23}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:23|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the issue where the cursor became misaligned during the use of CodeMirror’s syntax highlighting, which makes wikitext and code easier to read, has now been fixed. This problem specifically affected users who defined a font rule in a custom stylesheet while creating a new topic with DiscussionTools. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T418793]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* API rate limiting update: To help ensure [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/MediaWiki Product Insights/Responsible Reuse|fair use of infrastructure]], global API rate limits will be applied this week to requests without a compliant User-Agent that originate from outside Toolforge/WMCS and to unauthenticated requests made from web browsers. Higher limits will be applied to identified traffic in April. Bots running in Toolforge/WMCS or with the bot user right on any wiki should not be affected for now. However, all developers are advised to follow updated best practices. For more information, see [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia APIs/Rate limits|Wikimedia APIs/Rate limits]].
* The new GraphQL API has been released. The API was developed as a flexible alternative to select features of the Wikidata Query Service (WDQS), to improve developer experience and foster adaptability, and efficient data access. Try it out and [[d:Wikidata:Wikibase GraphQL#Feedback and development|give feedback]]. You can also [https://greatquestion.co/wikimediadeutschland/GraphQLAPI/apply sign up for usability tests].
* The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Product and Technology Advisory Council/Unsupported Tools Working Group|PTAC Unsupported Tools Working Group]] continued improvements to [[commons:Special:MyLanguage/Commons:Video2commons#|Video2Commons]] in February, with fixes addressing authentication errors, large-file handling, task queue visibility, and clearer upload behavior. Work is still ongoing in some areas, including changes related to deprecated server-side uploads. Read [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Product and Technology Advisory Council/Unsupported Tools Working Group#February 2026|this update]] to learn more.
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.19|MediaWiki]]
'''In depth'''
* The Article Guidance team invites experienced Wikipedia editors from selected [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Article guidance/Pilot wikis and collaborators#Collaborators|pilot wikis]] and interested contributors from other Wikipedias to fill out this questionnaire which is available in [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfmLeVWnxmsCbPoI_UF2jyRcn73WRGWCVPHzerXb4Cz97X_Ag/viewform English], [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6rzr4XXQw8r4024fE3geTPFe13M_6w7Mitj-YJi0sOlWTAw/viewform?usp=header Arabic], [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdok3-RfB18lcugYTUMGkpwmqG_8p760Wv4dCXitOXOszjUDw/viewform?usp=header Bengali], [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfjTfYp4jEo0akA4B1e-Nfg3QZPCudUjhJzHzzDi6AHyAaMGA/viewform?usp=header Japanese], [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScteVoI29Aue4xc72dekk-6RYtvmMgQxzMI900UOawrFrSTWg/viewform?usp=header Portuguese], [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSetdxnYwL3ub2vqA7awCg5hJZPMIYcDPaiTe12rY9h0GYnVlw/viewform?usp=header Persian], and [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScNvfJF-Ot-4pzA4qAN771_0QDJ4Li19YcUsaTgSKW8Nc7U_Q/viewform?usp=header Turkish]. Your answers will help the team customize guidance for less experienced editors and help them learn community policies and practices while creating an article. Learn more [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Article guidance|on the project page]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/11|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W11"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 18:53, 9 March 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-12 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W12"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/12|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror|{{int:codemirror-beta-feature-title}}]] beta feature, also known as [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeMirror|CodeMirror 6]], has been used for wikitext syntax highlighting since November 2024. It will be promoted out of beta by May 2026 in order to bring improvements and new [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror#Features|features]] to all editors who use the standard syntax highlighter. If you have any questions or concerns about promoting the feature out of beta, [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help talk:Extension:CodeMirror|please share]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T259059]
* Some changes to local user groups are performed by stewards on Meta-Wiki and logged there only. Now, interwiki rights changes will be logged both on Meta-Wiki and the wiki of the target user to make it easier to access a full record of user's rights changes on a local wiki. Past log entries for such changes will be backfilled in the coming weeks. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T6055]
* On wikis using [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Flagged Revisions|Flagged Revisions]], the number of pending changes shown on [[{{#Special:PendingChanges}}]] previously counted pages which were no longer pending review, because they have been removed from the system without being reviewed, e.g. due to being deleted, moved to a different namespace, or due to wiki configuration changes. The count will be correct now. On some wikis the number shown will be much smaller than before. There should be no change to the list of pages itself. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T413016]
* Wikifunctions composition language has been rewritten, resulting in a new version of the language. This change aims to increase service stability by reducing the orchestrator's memory consumption. This rewrite also enables substantial latency reduction, code simplification, and better abstractions, which will open the door to later feature additions. Read more about [[f:Special:MyLanguage/Wikifunctions:Status updates/2026-03-11|the changes]].
* Users can now sort search results alphabetically by page title. The update gives an additional option to finding pages more easily and quickly. Previously, results could be sorted by Edit date, Creation date, or Relevance. To use the new option, open 'Advanced Search' on the search results page and select 'Alphabetically' under 'Sorting Order'. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T403775]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:28}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:28|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the bug that prevented UploadWizard on Wikimedia Commons from importing files from Flickr has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T419263]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* A new special page, [[{{#special:LintTemplateErrors}}]], has been created to list transcluded pages that are flagged as containing lint errors to help users discover them easily. The list is sorted by the number of transclusions with errors. For example: [[{{#special:LintTemplateErrors}}/night-mode-unaware-background-color]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T170874]
* Users of the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror|{{int:codemirror-beta-feature-title}}]] beta feature have been using [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeMirror|CodeMirror]] instead of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeEditor|CodeEditor]] for syntax highlighting when editing JavaScript, CSS, JSON, Vue and Lua content pages, for some time now. Along with promoting CodeMirror 6 out of beta, the plan is to replace CodeEditor as the standard editor for these content models by May 2026. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help talk:Extension:CodeMirror|Feedback or concerns are welcome]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T419332]
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeMirror|CodeMirror]] JavaScript modules will soon be upgraded to CodeMirror 6. Leading up to the upgrade, loading the <code dir=ltr>ext.CodeMirror</code> or <code dir=ltr>ext.CodeMirror.lib</code> modules from gadgets and user scripts was deprecated in July 2025. The use of the <code dir=ltr>ext.CodeMirror.switch</code> hook was also deprecated in March 2025. Contributors can now make their scripts or gadgets compatible with CodeMirror 6. See the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeMirror#Gadgets and user scripts|migration guide]] for more information. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T373720]
* The MediaWiki Interfaces team is expanding coverage of REST API module definitions to include [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/API:REST API/Extensions|extension APIs]]. REST API modules are groups of related endpoints that can be independently managed and versioned. Modules now exist for [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T414470 GrowthExperiments] and [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T419053 Wikifunctions] APIs. As we migrate extension APIs to this structure, documentation will move out of the main MediaWiki OpenAPI spec and REST Sandbox view, and will instead be accessible via module-specific options in the dropdown on the [https://test.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:RestSandbox REST Sandbox] (i.e., [[{{#Special:RestSandbox}}]], available on all wiki projects).
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Scribunto|Scribunto]] extension provides different pieces of information about the wiki where the module is being used via the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Scribunto/Lua reference manual|mw.site]] library. Starting last week, the library also provides a [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:Scribunto/Lua reference manual#mw.site.wikiId|way]] of accessing the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Manual:Wiki ID|wiki ID]] that can be used to facilitate cross-wiki module maintenance. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T146616]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.20|MediaWiki]]
'''In depth'''
* The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Coolest Tool Award|2026 Coolest Tool Award]] celebrating outstanding community tools, is now open for nominations! Nominate your favorite tool using the [https://wikimediafoundation.limesurvey.net/435684?lang=en nomination survey] form by 23 March 2026. For more information on privacy and data handling, please see the [[foundation:Special:MyLanguage/Legal:Coolest_Tool_Award_2026_Survey_Privacy_Statement|survey privacy statement]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/12|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W12"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 19:35, 16 March 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-13 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W13"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/13|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* Wikimedia site users can now log in without a password using passkeys. This is a secure method supported by fingerprint, facial recognition, or PIN. With this change, all users who opt for passwordless login will find it easier, faster, and more secure to log in to their accounts using any device. The new passkey login option currently appears as an autofill suggestion in the username field. An additional [[phab:T417120|"Log in with passkey" button]] will soon be available for users who have already registered a passkey. This update will improve security and user experience. The [[c:File:Passwordless_login_screencast.webm|screen recording]] demonstrates the passwordless login process step by step.
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/Server switch|All wikis will be read-only]] for a few minutes on Wednesday, 25 March 2026 at [https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1774450800 15:00 UTC]. This is for the datacenter server switchover backup tests, [[wikitech:Deployments/Yearly calendar|which happen twice a year]]. During the switchover, all Wikimedia website traffic is shifted from one primary data center to the backup data center to test availability and prevent service disruption even in emergencies.
'''Updates for editors'''
* Wikimedia site users can now export their notifications older than 5 years using a [[toolforge:echo-chamber|new Toolforge tool]]. This will ensure that users retain their important notifications and avoid them being lost based on the planned change to delete notifications older than 5 years, as previously announced. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T383948]
* Wikipedia editors in Indonesian, Thai, Turkish, and Simple English now have access to Special:PersonalDashboard. This is an [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Moderator Tools/Dashboard|early version of an experience]] that introduces newer editors to patrolling workflows, making it easier for them to move from making edits to participating in more advanced moderation work on their project. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T402647]
* The [[Special:Block]] now has two minor interface changes. Administrators can now easily perform indefinite blocks through a dedicated radio button in the expiry section. Also, choosing an indefinite expiry provides a different set of common reasons to select from, which can be changed at: [[MediaWiki:Ipbreason-indef-dropdown]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T401823]
* Mobile editors [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Contributors/Account Creation Experiments#Logged-out|at several wikis]] can now see an improved logged-out edit warning, thanks to the recent updates from the Growth team. These changes released last week are part of ongoing efforts and tests to enhance [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Contributors/Account Creation Experiments|account creation experience on mobile]] and then increase participation. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T408484]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:36}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:36|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the bug that prevented mobile web users from seeing the block information when affected by multiple blocks has been fixed. They can now see messages of all the blocks currently affecting them when they access Wikipedia.
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Images built using Toolforge will soon get the upgraded buildpacks version, bringing support for newer language versions and other upstream improvements and fixes. If you use Toolforge Build Service, review the recent [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/cloud-announce@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/EMYTA32EV2V5SQ2JIEOD2CL66YFIZEKV/ cloud-announce email] and update your build configuration as necessary to ensure your tools are compatible. [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Help:Toolforge/Building_container_images&oldid=2392097#Buildpack_environment_upgrade_process][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T380127]
* The [https://api.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page API Portal] documentation wiki will shut down in June 2026. API keys created on the API Portal will continue to work normally. api.wikimedia.org endpoints will be deprecated gradually starting in July 2026. Documentation on the API Portal is moving to [[mw:Wikimedia APIs|mediawiki.org]]. Learn more on the [[wikitech:API Portal/Deprecation|project page]].
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.21|MediaWiki]]
'''In depth'''
* [[m:Special:MyLanguage/WMDE Technical Wishes|WMDE Technical Wishes]] is considering improvements to [[m:WMDE Technical Wishes/References/VisualEditor automatic reference names|automatically generated reference names in VisualEditor]]. Please check out the [[m:WMDE Technical Wishes/References/VisualEditor automatic reference names#Proposed solutions|proposed solutions]] and participate in the [[m:Talk:WMDE Technical Wishes/References/VisualEditor automatic reference names#Request for comment|request for comment]].
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/13|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W13"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 16:51, 23 March 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-14 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W14"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/14|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* The Beta version of [[abstract:|Abstract Wikipedia]] a new Wikimedia project which is language-independent, was launched last week. The project allows communities to build Wikipedia articles in their native language, which can be readily accessed by other users in their own languages. The wiki is powered by instructions from Wikifunctions and also based on structured content from Wikidata. [[:f:Special:MyLanguage/Wikifunctions:Status updates/2026-03-26|Read more]].
'''Updates for editors'''
* The Growth team is running an A/B test to evaluate a clearer, more user-friendly message that promotes account creation on wikis. Currently when logged-out mobile users begin editing, they see a jarring warning message that can feel abrupt and discouraging. This also presents temporary account editing as the default rather than encouraging account creation. The test is running on ten Wikipedias, including Arabic, French, Spanish and German. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Contributors/Account Creation Experiments#2. Improve logged-out warning message (T415160)|Read more]].
* The Wikimedia Apps team is inviting feedback on [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia Apps/Team/Future of Editing on the Mobile Apps|how editing should work on the Wikipedia mobile apps]]. The discussion focuses on improving how users access editing tools when they tap "Edit". This is part of a broader effort to convert readers who develop an interest in editing, to access a more user-friendly pathway to start contributing.
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:45}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:45|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, an issue where citation fetching from the large newspaper archive [https://www.newspapers.com Newspapers.com] was no longer working, due to a block in [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Citoid|Citoid]] requests, has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T419903]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.22|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/14|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W14"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 19:25, 30 March 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-15 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W15"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/15|Translations]] are available.
'''Updates for editors'''
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CampaignEvents|CampaignEvents extension]] now includes a new group goal-setting feature, enabling organizers to set and track event goals such as the number of articles created and participating contributors in real time. Similarly, participants can work toward shared targets and see their collective impact as the event unfolds. The feature is now available on all Wikimedia wikis. Learn more in [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CampaignEvents/Registration/Collaborative contributions#Goal setting|the documentation]].
* [[File:Maki-gift-15.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Wishlist item]] The new [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Watchlist labels|watchlist labels]] feature (announced in [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/07|Tech News 2026-07]]) is now available via VisualEditor, the source editor, and the 'watchstar' (or watch link, for skins that don't have a star icon). Previously it was only possible to assign labels via [[Special:EditWatchlist|EditWatchlist]]. In all three places it is a new field following the expiry field.
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:23}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:23|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, the issue where talk pages on mobile with Parsoid are unusable after empty section headers, has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T419171]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* The [[m:Special:MyLanguage/WMDE Technical Wishes/Sub-referencing|sub-referencing feature]], which lets editors add details to an existing reference without duplicating it, will be gradually rolled out to [[phab:T414094|more wikis]] later this year. Wikis using the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Reference Tooltips|Reference Tooltips]] gadget are encouraged to update their version (typically at [[m:MediaWiki:Gadget-ReferenceTooltips.js|MediaWiki:Gadget-ReferenceTooltips.js]] as shown [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?diff=1344408362 here]) to ensure compatibility. Other reference-related gadgets may also be affected. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T416304]
* All Wikinews editions will be closed and switched to read-only mode on 4 May 2026. Content will remain accessible, but no new edits or articles can be added. This closure was approved by the Board of Trustees of the Wikimedia Foundation following extended discussions. [[m:Wikimedia Foundation Board noticeboard#Board of Trustees Approves Closure of Wikinews|Read more]].
* The [[:mw:Special:MyLanguage/API:Action API|Action API]] has had several formats for requested output. One of them, <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>format=php</nowiki></code></bdi>, is being removed soon. Please ensure your scripts or bots use the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/API:Data formats#Output|JSON format]]. This removal should affect very few scripts and bots. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T118538]
* The [[Special:NamespaceInfo|Special:NamespaceInfo]] page now includes namespace aliases. For example "WP" for the "Project" ("Wikipedia") namespace on the German Wikipedia. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T381455]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.23|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/15|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W15"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 16:19, 6 April 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-16 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W16"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/16|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* Experienced editors are invited to [https://b24e11a4f1.catalyst.wmcloud.org/wiki/Main_Page test] the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Article guidance|Article guidance]] feature, designed to help less-experienced editors create well-structured, policy-compliant Wikipedia articles. Testing instructions are [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Article guidance/Test feature guide|available]]. Also, after reviewing [https://b24e11a4f1.catalyst.wmcloud.org/wiki/Category:Pages_using_article_guidance the outlines], please provide feedback on the [[mw:Talk:Article guidance|project talk page]]. Based on your input, the feature will be refined and transferred to the pilot Wikipedias to translate and adapt. Check out [[c:File:Article Guidance workflow demo - April 2026.webm|the video]] explaining the feature.
'''Updates for editors'''
* On most wikis, all autoconfirmed users can now use [[Special:ChangeContentModel|Special:ChangeContentModel]] page to [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:ChangeContentModel|create new pages with custom content models]], such as mass message lists, making custom page formats more accessible. Check [[Special:ListGroupRights|Special:ListGroupRights]] for the status of your wiki. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T248294]
* The Growth team has launched an [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Contributors/Account_Creation_Experiments|account creation experiment]] to evaluate whether adding an account creation button to the mobile web header increases new account registrations and encourages more mobile users to contribute to the wikis. The experiment is currently live on Hindi, Indonesian, Bengali, Thai, and Hebrew Wikipedia, and targets 10% of logged-out mobile web users.
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:30}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:30|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, an issue where VisualEditor could get stuck loading on Windows devices with animations turned off, has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T382856]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* Starting later this week, {{int:group-abusefilter}} who have the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror|{{int:codemirror-beta-feature-title}}]] beta feature enabled will have [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeMirror|CodeMirror]] instead of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeEditor|CodeEditor]] as the editor at [[Special:AbuseFilter|Special:AbuseFilter]]. This is part of the broader effort to make the user experience more consistent across all editors. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T399673][https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T419332]
* Tools and bots that access the [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Notifications/API|Notifications API]] (<bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>action=query&meta=notifications</nowiki></code></bdi>) will need to update their OAuth or BotPassword grants to also include access to private notifications. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T421991]
* Due to a library upgrade, listings on category pages may be displayed out of order starting on Monday, 20th April. A migration script will be run to correct this, and will take hours to days depending on the size of the wiki (up to a week for English Wikipedia). [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T422544]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] Detailed code updates later this week: [[mw:MediaWiki 1.46/wmf.24|MediaWiki]]
'''''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|Tech news]]''' prepared by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Writers|Tech News writers]] and posted by [[m:Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki message delivery|bot]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute|Contribute]] • [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/16|Translate]] • [[m:Tech|Get help]] • [[m:Talk:Tech/News|Give feedback]] • [[m:Global message delivery/Targets/Tech ambassadors|Subscribe or unsubscribe]].''
</div><section end="technews-2026-W16"/>
<bdi lang="en" dir="ltr">[[User:MediaWiki message delivery|MediaWiki message delivery]]</bdi> 15:19, 13 April 2026 (UTC)
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== Tech News: 2026-17 ==
<section begin="technews-2026-W17"/><div class="plainlinks">
Latest '''[[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News|tech news]]''' from the Wikimedia technical community. Please tell other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2026/17|Translations]] are available.
'''Weekly highlight'''
* After two years of development, [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror|{{int:codemirror-beta-feature-title}}]], also known as [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeMirror|CodeMirror 6]], is to be promoted out of beta on Tuesday, April 21. It brings better code and wikitext readability, reduction in typing errors, and other [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror|benefits]] to all users of the standard syntax highlighter. A huge thank you to volunteer [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/p/Bhsd/ Bhsd] who developed many of the new features, including [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror#Code folding|code folding]], [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror#Autocompletion|autocompletion]], and [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror#Linting|linting]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T259059]
* A major update to the Wikipedia app for iOS is now rolling out, redesigning the interface to align with Apple's latest "Liquid Glass" visual design. [https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wikipedia/id324715238 Download the latest version] and explore the update.
'''Updates for editors'''
* [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Readers/Reader Experience/WE3.3.4 Reading lists|Reading lists]] is a feature which allows readers to save articles to a list for reading later. This feature is now in beta on Arabic, French, Indonesian, Vietnamese, and Chinese Wikipedias and by default for all new accounts on all Wikipedias.
* An experiment which explores extending [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Readers/Reader Growth/Mobile page previews|Page Previews to mobile web]] will be launched in the week of April 20 on Arabic, English, French, Italian, Polish, and Vietnamese Wikipedias. Page Previews are pop-ups that display a thumbnail, lead paragraph, and a link to open the full article of a blue link, thereby improving content discovery. The feature is already available on desktop and in the apps. [[m:Special:MyLanguage/List of experiments in Product and Technology#Template|Read more about this experiment and others]].
* On several wikis, logged-in editors who haven't [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Email confirmation|confirmed their email addresses]] can now see a banner encouraging them to do so. Having the email address confirmed allows a user to restore access to the account if they lose it. [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Product Safety and Integrity/Account Security#Encouraging users to confirm their email addresses|Learn more]]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T421366]
* [[File:Reload icon with two arrows.svg|12px|link=|class=skin-invert|Recurrent item]] View all {{formatnum:15}} community-submitted {{PLURAL:15|task|tasks}} that were [[m:Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/Recently resolved community tasks|resolved last week]]. For example, an issue where editing very large wiki pages in the 2017 wikitext editor caused slow loading, preview and scrolling lag, and performance issues when selecting, cutting, or pasting content, has now been fixed. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T184857]
'''Updates for technical contributors'''
* As part of the promotion of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Help:Extension:CodeMirror|CodeMirror]] from a beta feature, all users will use [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeMirror|CodeMirror]] instead of [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Extension:CodeEditor|CodeEditor]] for syntax highlighting when editing JavaScript, CSS, JSON, Vue and Lua content pages. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T419332]
* The <code>mirrors.wikimedia.org</code> service for Debian and Ubuntu users will sunset and stop working on May 15. The resources for the service will be replaced with new and better options. Some users may need to switch to a different server which should take about a minute. [https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/LJYRIS4WB66HIRCAO4GIDTXCMDVZRBMA/ You can read more]. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T416707]
* The <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>image</nowiki></code></bdi> and <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>oldimage</nowiki></code></bdi> table will be removed from [[wikitech:Help:Wiki Replicas|wikireplicas]]. If your tools or queries access <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>image</nowiki></code></bdi> or <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>oldimage</nowiki></code></bdi> directly, please update them to use the <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>file</nowiki></code></bdi> and <bdi lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><code><nowiki>filerevision</nowiki></code></bdi> table before 28 May. [https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T28741]
* Following the recent implementation of global API rate limits on unidentified traffic, the Wikimedia Foundation will continue efforts to ensure [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/MediaWiki Product Insights/Responsible Reuse|fair use of infrastructure]] by applying global limits to identified API traffic beginning the last week of April. These limits are intentionally set as high as possible to minimise impact on the community. Bots running in Toolforge/WMCS or with the bot user right on any wiki should not be affected for now. However, all developers are advised to follow updated best practices. For more information, see [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia APIs/Rate limits|Wikimedia APIs/Rate limits]] and [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia APIs/Rate limits/FAQ|Frequently Asked Questions]].
* The [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Attribution API|Attribution API]] is now available as a [[mw:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia APIs/Stability policy|beta]]. The API fetches information for crediting Wikimedia articles and media files wherever they are used. Reference documentation is available through the REST Sandbox special page available on all Wikimedia wikis (such as the [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?api=attribution.v0-beta&title=Special%3ARestSandbox REST sandbox on English Wikipedia]). Share your feedback on the [[mw:Talk:Attribution API|project talk page]].
* There is no new MediaWiki version this week.
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Motivation and emotion/Book/2021/Menopause and emotion
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{{title|Menopause and emotion:<br>How can theories of emotion be applied to help understand and better manage unpleasant emotions during menopause?}}
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==Overview==
[[File:Serious woman.jpg|thumb|right|[http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=25234&picture=woman&large=1 ''Figure 1:'' Picture displaying serious emotion from woman]|211x211px]]
[[wikipedia:Menopause|Menopause]] is an inevitable event for all biological women as they age, however menstrual functioning and menopause is not a common conversation point. Whether it be the societal taboos of talking about periods, a lack of knowledge, or plain shyness or embarrassment, it is a topic that still holds for all women, especially since it has a large effect on their physical health and emotional well-being.
{{RoundBoxTop|theme=5}}“I couldn’t understand what was happening to me because I was a strong person… menopause made me weak… I couldn’t go on any longer” (ITV News, 2018).{{RoundBoxBottom}}
;Focus questions
# What is menopause?
# What are some common emotions experienced during menopause and why do they occur?
# How can theories of emotion help to understand the emotional effects of menopause?
# What are some helpful ways to better manage negative symptoms during menopause?
==Menopause==
[[File:Vaginal Canal Normal vs. Menopause.png|thumb|[[c:File:Vaginal_Canal_Normal_vs._Menopause.png|''Figure 2''. Pictured left is a healthy vaginal canal, pictured right is a vaginal canal during menopause]]|242x242px]]
The [[wikipedia:National_Cancer_Institute|National Cancer Institute]] (2019) defines menopause as the event occurring late in a woman’s life (approx. 50 – 60 years) in which the ovaries discontinue the production of hormones and completely stop the menstrual cycle (i.e., 12 months without a menstrual period). However research considers menopause as more of a transitional process, which includes three menopausal stages ranging from the time before the last menstrual cycle to long over 1 year of [[wikipedia:Amenorrhea|amenorrhea]] (Karkhanis & Mathur, 2016).
Menopause is a lengthy event that begins before a woman may even be aware of any changes. This is due to the stages of menopause beginning before hormonal declines induced by the [[wikipedia:Endocrine_gland|endocrine system and glands]]. When hormones further decline, high correlations with psychological distress and physical changes, such as ovarian function loss, are present (Karkhanis & Mathur, 2016; Moreau et al., 2012).
Based on the biological components of menopause, the stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop (STRAW) developed another definition that explains menopause as a lengthy transition through 3 specific stages, all with their own characteristics: Premenopause; Perimenopause; and Postmenopause (Karkhanis & Mathur, 2016).[[File:Menopause_stages_graph.png|thumb|263x263px|[[c:File:Menopause_stages_graph.png|''Figure 3.'' Stages of menopause represent menopause as a whole]]|left]]
# Premenopause (38-45 years) – starts around the time before the last menstrual period and ends when the perimenopause stage begins;
# Perimenopause (45- 60 years) – the time during menopause when changes in menstrual cycles and endothelial functioning begins to occur but has not yet reached 12 months of amenorrhea (i.e., a lack of menstrual periods);
# Postmenopause (60 years +) – begins when the last menstrual period has taken place, typically when 12 months or more of amenorrhea has occurred
{{RoundBoxTop|theme=7}}
; Women's knowledge and help-seeking behaviour towards menopause
; Knowledge, Attitude and Experience of Menopause, by S. Khokhar (2013)
: 170 post-menopausal women, aged between 50-65 years, were interviewed about their knowledge, attitudes, and experiences towards menopause. Results showed that 80% of women had previous knowledge on menopause, however only 46% had knowledge on how menopause effected health. With the onset of menopause, results showed that 74% had negative symptoms that bothered them, and 64% described themselves as being unhappy. Despite the high percentage of women experiencing negative symptoms, only 29% had gone to a medical professional for relief. The low results of women’s knowledge on menopause and its effect on health explains the deficit in women seeking medical relief. This stresses the importance of women’s knowledge on menopause to therefore be able to seek help in alleviating the negative physical and psychological symptoms they may experience.
{{RoundBoxBottom}}
== Symptoms ==
Current research has determined two main factors that encompass the multitude of differing symptoms that women may experience during menopause, which can be identified as physical and psychological. Understanding the physical and psychological symptoms of menopause could help an individual to recognize their own symptoms, reduce stigma, and increase help-seeking behavior.
Of course, each individual person will experience completely different symptoms of menopause and this list should be looked at subjectively.
=== Physical ===
Physical symptoms refer to bodily reactions (internal and external) that may emerge during menopause, with 2 most common physical symptoms being vasomotor and somatic.
* [[wikipedia:Vasomotor|Vasomotor]]: hot flushes, night sweats, vaginal dryness (Greene, 1990), irregular menstrual cycles, pain during sexual intercourse, sudden feeling of feeling heat in the upper body and then all over the body, and [[wikipedia:Urinary_tract_infection|urinary tract infections]] (Karkhanis & Mathur, 2016)
* [[wikipedia:Somatic|Somatic]]: tiredness, muscle and joint pain, parts of body feel numb/tingling, headaches, feeling dizzy or faint, breathing difficulties, backaches, loss of feeling in hands/feet (Greene, 1990), frowning, gritting or grinding of teeth, jaw pain, [[wikipedia:Stuttering|stuttering]] or stammering, and trembling of lips or hands (Karkhanis & Mathur, 2016)
In addition, research conducted in 2016 suggests that each stage of menopause has its own characteristics of physical symptoms, which fluctuate in severity over its duration (Karkhanis & Mathur).
The premenopausal stage had no significant presentations of physical distress or impact on physical health. However, in the perimenopausal stage severe physical distress occurred, presenting in the form of respiratory, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, nervous, and genitourinary systems, eye, ear and skin irritation, digestive tracts issues, fatigue, and frequent illnesses (Karkhanis & Mathur, 2016). These characteristics also strongly correlate with the Vasomotor and Somatic symptoms mentioned above.
The Postmenopause stage in presented some physical distress, but not as intense as the perimenopause stage. Physical distress was shown to ease as postmenopause continued, but vasomotor and somatic symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, joint and muscle pain, and sexual and genital problems tend to persist, even after amenorrhea (Karkhanis & Mathur, 2016).
=== Psychological ===
Psychological symptoms of menopause refer to the unpleasant or distressing mental processes and states (e.g., emotions) that may create negative feelings towards the self, others, and the environment (Karkhanis & Mathur, 2016). These symptoms may then manifest into mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety (Greene, 1990), however it is more common to experience the symptoms of these illnesses without developing the mental illnesses that correlate to the presenting symptoms.
* [[wikipedia:Anxiety|Anxiety]]: feeling tense, attack of panic, [[wikipedia:Palpitations|palpitations]], sleep disturbed, excitable, difficulty falling asleep, poor memory, and difficulty in concentration (Greene, 1990)
* [[wikipedia:Depression_(mood)|Depression]]: feeling unhappy, loss of interest in things, [[wikipedia:Irritability|irritability]], and crying spells (Greene, 1990)
Alongside the research on physical distress in 2016, Karkhanis & Mathur further examined psychological distress throughout separate menopausal stages. Surprisingly, although no physical distress was experienced in the Premenopause stage, a significantly high correlation to psychological distress was, which included feeling tense and emotionally sensitive, with symptoms of depression and anxiety (Karkhanis & Mathur, 2016).
Perimenopause was associated with the highest intensity of psychological distress over all stages (Karkhanis & Mathur, 2016), with the highest vulnerability to depression, with symptom severity rising to higher levels as the stage progresses (Clayton & Ninan, 2012).
Postmenopause has the highest correlation to depressive psychological distress earlier in its development, however symptoms tend to lower as the Postmenopause stage progresses (Clayton & Ninan, 2012; Karkhanis & Mathur, 2016).
==The experience of emotions during menopause==
[[File:Manga emotions ver 2.jpg|thumb|[[c:File:Manga_emotions_ver_2.jpg|''Figure 4.'' Picture displaying illustration of girl with many emotions]]|197x197px]]
With the overwhelming correlations to menopause and emotional distress it can be assumed that menopause has a direct effect on psychological health and well-being.
The most common emotional experiences reported by menopausal women are symptoms of anxiety and depression (Greene, 1990), more specifically, feelings of irritability, anger, tiredness, uselessness, and helplessness (Samouei & Valiani, 2017).
{{RoundBoxTop|theme=9}}
; Family Experiences
With these emotional experiences occurring, women reported the effect it had on their family relations.
: This included menopausal women feeling misunderstood by the family; feeling angry, being aggressive, and fighting with children and spouse; perceived negative family relations; and feelings of hatred towards spouse (Samouei & Valiani, 2017).{{RoundBoxBottom}}
It is important for women transitioning through menopause to understand the psychological changes that may be experienced because menopause increases the severity of emotional experiences. Due to this, women may subsequently develop a negative attitude towards their menopause, which has been associated with increased symptoms of emotional distress (Samouei & Valiani, 2017).
So, the prominent question in regard to emotions and other psychological symptoms during menopause is why do they occur and how can they be addressed?
==Theories of emotion applied to research in menopause==
With feelings and emotions being unobservable and only exposed by self-reporting, many theories have developed to try and explain what they are, why they occur and how they can be controlled. These theories can be broadly categorised into cognitive (mental), biological (physical), and hormonal (chemical) theories of emotion.
Throughout all three branches of theories, it is evident that the triggers for emotional experiences are significant environmental and life events (Johnson & Roberts, 1995; Izard, 2010), however the debate lies in how these events subsequently influence the feeling of emotions.
[[File:Noun_mind_366997.svg|thumb|[[c:File:Noun_mind_366997.svg|''Figure 5.'' Image of brain replaced by cog-work]]]]
=== Cognitive theories ===
Cognitive theories illustrate emotion at a mental level, more specifically, emotion is influenced by mental responses to events. Mental responses reflect the representations, perceptions, and interpretations a person has to the environment and significant life events (Izard, 2010).
Cognitive theorist C. Izard conducted a review in 2010 on the cognitive functions of emotions and outlined 6 broad reasons for why emotional experiences occur, noting that each emotion has a specific function.
# Emotions focus the direction of environmental responses
# They motivate adaption, coordination, and coping behaviours to the contextual environment
# They indicate the value or importance to an event in the environment
# They influence safety-seeking behaviour towards the sensitivity and concerns of the environment
# They facilitate socialisation and communication; and,
# They assist in constructing mental solutions for emotional experiences causes by the environment
With an understanding of emotion from a cognitive perspective, the theory of constructed emotion may be beneficial in attempting to regulate negative emotional experiences that occur during menopause.
The theory of constructed emotion emphasises that emotions are guided by [[wikipedia:Internalization|internalised]] past experiences. This is due to the constant mental [[wikipedia:Categorization|categorisations]] of emotions and events that unconsciously influence our perceptions of the environment to prepare for an emotionally stimulating event (Barrett, 2016). The emotional reactions elicited by environmental events therefore continuously add to the mental representations and interpretations of the environment to make faster predictions of future events, that is, what will happen, how to react (emotionally and behaviorally), and what the consequences will be (Barrett, 2016).
In other words, the more often you react to an environmental event, the more likely it will be that you react the same way to similar events in the future. This theory becomes evident in Western culture research regarding women and their views and attitudes towards menopause.
Researchers Avis & McKinlay found that women with negative views of menopause correlate with higher negative emotional experiences during menopause, as opposed to those with a neutral or positive view which increased in positivity throughout menopause (1991){{expand}}.
{{RoundBoxTop|theme=8}}“These results suggest that the so-called menopause syndrome may be more related to personal characteristics than to menopause per se” (Avis & McKinlay, 1991, p1).{{RoundBoxBottom}}
[[File:Twemoji2_1f914.svg|thumb|92x92px|[[c:File:Twemoji2_1f914.svg|''Figure 6.'' Thinking emoji]]|left]]
It can then be assumed that by approaching menopause from a positive perspective it is less likely to have a larger negative effect on psychological well-being throughout the onset and duration of menopause. Using the theory of constructed emotion, women can begin to identify their negative emotional reactions, understand that they are occurring due to internalised mental perceptions, and therefore challenge the negative emotion with a positive focus. In doing so, mental perceptions can be re-constructed to minimize the negative emotional experiences and with continuity eventually eliminate the negative reaction to an emotionally stimulating event.
{{example}}
=== Biological theories ===
[[File:James-lange_theory_figure.png|thumb|[[c:File:James-lange_theory_figure.png|''Figure 7.'' James-Lange biological theory of emotion illustrated]]]]
Biological theories assume that environmental events elicit physical bodily reactions that influence emotional responses to the environment. A common representation of the biological perspective on emotion is the ‘Fight, Flight or Freeze’ phenomena. To illustrate, imagine you are front on with an aggressive lion, your fight or flight instinct will influence whether you run from the lion, fight the lion, or freeze up upon confrontation with the lion. Whichever way you behave in response to this situation, biological theories argue that it is the initial bodily reaction that elicits an emotional response (Rupia et al., 2016), as represented in ''Figure 7'', the emotion to the lion situation may be fear.
The [[wikipedia:James–Lange_theory|James-Lange theory]] describes the feelings that occur from bodily reactions and changes is the emotion, and more specifically, the physical experience through stimulation of the [[wikipedia:Vasodilation|vasomotor system]] can explain why the emotion is occurring (Cannon, 1987). In this sense, the James-Lange theory proposes that emotions are the perceptions of physical experiences, functioning for the individual to recognise why they are experiencing an emotion to subsequently guide behaviour (Cannon, 1987).
{{RoundBoxTop|theme=4}}
"We owe all the emotional side of our mental life … our joys and sorrows, our happy and unhappy hours, to our vasomotor system.” (Cannon, 1987, p107).
{{RoundBoxBottom}}
This theory then poses the question: do the distressing physical experiences during menopause directly influence negative emotional experiences, and if so, how does this occur at a biological level?
The answer may lie in hormone irregularities throughout menopause and their effect on psychological well-being.
=== Hormones ===
Hormonal fluctuations may have an influence on negative emotional experiences across the three stages of menopause (Berent-Spillson et al., 2017), and because of this, hormonal researchers have found an interest in the direct influence that hormonal irregularities may have on menopausal women.
A study in 2017 examined the correlations between [[wikipedia:Metabolism|metabolism]] and hormones on emotional reactions during the three stages of menopause, with a particular focus on the hormone [[wikipedia:Glycated_hemoglobin|Hemoglobin A1c]] to indicate the blood glucose level, which in this case represents metabolism (Berent-Spillson et al.). Participants were exposed to emotionally stimulating images while their emotional discrimination levels (i.e., emotion-related brain regions activated as a reaction to unpleasant stimuli; Sabatinelli et al., 2009) was recorded by fMRI measures.
Results displayed that upon being exposed to unpleasant images, emotion-related brain regions correlating with depressive symptoms and negative mood (i.e., emotional experiences) were activated, which increased across the stages of menopause. Higher levels of Hemoglobin A1c interacting with metabolic functioning correlated to a negative interpretation of emotionally neutral images and activation of brain regions related to self-control, both of which may negatively impact [[wikipedia:Emotional_self-regulation|emotion regulation]] and increase depressive symptoms throughout menopause (Berent-Spillson et al., 2017).
Fluctuations in the hormone estrogen has also been found to correlate with depressive symptoms, more evidently in the later postmenopause stage (at least over 1+ years of amenorrhea), which also suggests that long-term fluctuations in estrogen may have a direct association with depressive symptoms (Henderson et al., 2013).
[[File:Serotonin-2D-skeletal.svg|left|thumb|218x218px|[[c:File:Serotonin-2D-skeletal.svg|''Figure 8.'' 2D structure of the neurotransmitter serotonin]]]]
This association is also supported by Epperson et al., who studied the effects of serotonin and estrogen on emotions in menopausal women, with the use of estradiol to mediate [[wikipedia:Serotonergic|serotonergic]] functioning (i.e., manipulating the production and transmission of serotonin; 2012). They explained the use of estradiol due to findings that serotonin directly influences estrogen levels and discovered that by mediating the use of estradiol, they were also mediating the effect of estrogen on serotonin, and thus second-handedly mediating the effect of serotonin on emotion-related brain regions (Epperson et al., 2012).
This is groundbreaking research in the medical field for treatment of negative hormonal and vasomotor symptoms throughout the duration of menopause.
== Alleviating the effects of menopause ==
[[File:Happyness2.jpg|thumb|[[c:File:Happyness2.jpg|''Figure 9.'' Balloons with happy face]]|228x228px]]
These theories of emotion can be integrated into daily life practices that women can then apply to themselves as an attempt to alleviate the negative symptoms of menopause.
=== What women can do for themselves during menopause? ===
With evidence that negative views of menopause correlate with higher negative emotional experiences during menopause, it may be beneficial to attempt to develop a positive attitude towards menopause, preferably before onset, however positive or neutral views on menopause were shown to increase in positivity throughout the duration of menopause (Avis & McKinlay, 1991), so changing an attitude towards menopause to be more positive may alleviate negative emotional experiences.
Some ways to do this have been supported by research, which involve adjusting the view of menopausal changes to a positive reflection on personal health and attractiveness, using the individual experience of bodily changes and body image concerns that may occur during menopause in situations of social support (Strauss, 2011), and being highly optimistic towards menopausal health (Caltabiano & Holzheimer, 1999).
{{RoundBoxTop|theme=10}}
; Attitude towards menopause is influenced by cultural norms
“…women in different cultures have different attitudes toward menopause and show different psychological symptoms. For example in some African cultures, women believe that menopause is a sign of higher social station and an easier future life. This attitude helps these women to accept this stage of life with open arms and easily accept the changes” (Samouei & Valiani, 2017, p4).{{RoundBoxBottom}}
Another way to alleviate negative emotional experiences was shown though knowledge of the stages of menopause and personally relating it back to oneself to understand their own negative experiences being influenced and adapt to the transitional processes of menopause (Strauss, 2011; Caltabiano & Holzheimer, 1999). This has been shown to alleviate negative attitudes in younger women approaching the onset of the premenopause stage (Strauss, 2011)
High levels of Hemoglobin A1c that interacts with metabolic functioning showed negative interpretations of neutral stimuli and activation of brain regions related to self-control, this association suggests that hormones and high blood glucose level increases the risk of negative emotional experiences and a higher use of self-control, which may explain why some women turn to [[wikipedia:Emotional_eating|emotional eating]] as a coping strategy.
Alongside this, it would also be beneficial to consider limiting or stopping unhealthy habits such as smoking and alcohol consumption, and having cardiovascular and cancer assessments and management plans conducted by medical practitioners (Moreau et al., 2012).
=== Medical help ===
[[wikipedia:Hormone_replacement_therapy|Menopausal hormone therapy]] (MHT):
MHT focuses on the treatment and alleviation of vasomotor and other symptoms of menopause, with the most benefits applicable to postmenopausal women who are under 60 years old and/or postmenopausal women whose onset of menopause began 10 years prior (Stuenkel et al., 2015). However, it should be advised to medical practitioners to conduct cardiovascular assessments and breast cancer screenings before prescribing MHT to eliminate risk factors and consider the appropriate therapy if the assessments indicate otherwise (Stuenkel et al., 2015).
Estrogen plus progestogen therapy (EPT):
EPT focuses on mainly on physical symptoms of menopause. Some vasomotor symptoms such as genital and urinary issues are alleviated, but mostly somatic symptoms, such as tiredness, sleep disturbances, and muscle and joint pain/stiffness are the most commonly alleviated symptoms from EPT (Stuenkel et al., 2015). It has also been found to minimize the experiences of depressive symptoms and anxiety associated with menopause, and in some menopausal women decreases the heightened risk of bone-fractures and diabetes (Stuenkel et al., 2015).
[[wikipedia:Atrophic_vaginitis|Genitourinary syndrome of menopause]] (GSM):
Over 50% of postmenopausal women are affected by GSM (aka., atrophic vaginitis / vulvovaginal atrophy), so it is not surprising that there are many different types of treatments for GSM, however a low dosage of vaginal estrogen therapy is a common recommendation for postmenopausal women who have not had previous hormone-sensitive cancer (Faubion et al., 2017).
Other treatments for GSM include options such as selective estrogen receptor modulators, vaginal dehydroepiandrosterone, non-medical treatments such as vaginal lubricants, moisturizers, and dilators, pelvic floor physical therapy, and sex therapy may all be beneficial treatments for GSM (Faubion et al., 2017).
== Helping someone you know who is experiencing menopause ==
[[File:Hold_hands.jpg|thumb|[[:File:Hold hands.jpg|''Figure 10.'' Holding hands]]|234x234px]]
Although self-reports by menopausal women indicated negative family relations, positive family relations were also recorded, that lessened the intensity of emotional distress over the duration of menopause. This included an increase in support from others and a supportive understanding by family members, particularly by the spouse (Samouei & Valiani, 2017).
Other research has also suggested that having social support lessens emotional distress during significant life events and decreases the risk for depressive symptoms, episodes, and the development of depression as a mental illness (Johnson & Roberts, 1995). It is also suggested that having social support allows menopausal women to explain and adapt to the negative symptoms being experienced and may subsequently develop resilience towards their symptoms that may also defend against hopelessness (Johnson & Roberts, 1995).
{{RoundBoxTop|theme=10}}
; Support from husband:
"My husband never let me feel alone or disabled and always encouraged me to work with more strength which was very helpful" (Samouei & Valiani, 2017, p3).
{{RoundBoxBottom}}
It is evident that understanding and supporting someone who is going through the transitional process of menopause is the most beneficial way to help them cope with negative symptoms.
==Conclusion==
Menopause is a long transitional process for a biological woman and thus can be divided into 3 stages: Premenopause, perimenopause, and postmenopause. Physical symptoms are less significant in premonopause, but emotional distress has been reported as apparent in this stage. Perimenopause has both the highest physical and emotional distress across all stages, which slowly decreases through transition into the postmenopause stage. Understanding the unpleasant symptoms each stage may influence, may allow for women to understand their own experiences of menopause and subsequently be able to better manage them.
By integrating the cognitive theory of constructed emotion into the attitudes a woman holds about menopause, relief from emotional distress may occur. This is evident in research that found women with negative attitudes toward menopause had an association to higher emotional distress during menopause. If women can use the theory of constructed emotion to challenge the emotion triggered by an event, then the new associated emotion, with repetition, may overthrow the previously negative emotion. Changing the attitude towards menopause to a positive perspective instead of a negative one, will lessen, and in some cases eradicate the unpleasant emotions triggered by menopause.
Seeking social support from family relations and others has also shown to decrease the psychological symptoms of menopause, and further so when they understand and support them throughout the duration of menopause.
For physical and hormonal symptoms of menopause, the medical field has a multitude of different therapies and treatments to minimize the physical and emotional distress menopause may bring. It is important for women to seek support and opinions from medical professionals before undergoing any treatments, however some over-the-counter remedies may also be helpful in alleviating some vasomotor symptoms.
It is important to remember that every biological female will inevitably reach the Premenopause stage in her life and her menopausal journey will begin, so it is equally important for women, and anyone that knows a woman, to understand how menopause may influence their behaviour, how it may be alleviated, and how to be supportive during this time.
==See also==
{{ic|Use alphabetical order.}}
* [[Motivation and emotion/Book/2015/Menstrual cycle and emotion|Menstrual cycle and emotion]] (Book chapter, 2015)
* [[Motivation and emotion/Book/2017/Hormones and motivation|Hormones and motivation]] (Book chapter, 2017)
*[[wikipedia:Late-onset_hypogonadism|Late-onset hypogonadism]] (Wikipedia)
==References==
{{Hanging indent|1=
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Rupia, E., Binning, S., Roche, D., & Lu, W. (2016). Fight-flight or freeze-hide? Personality and metabolic phenotype mediate physiological defence responses in flatfish. ''Journal Of Animal Ecology, 85''(4), 927-937. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.12524
Sabatinelli, D., Lang, P., Bradley, M., Costa, V., & Keil, A. (2009). The Timing of Emotional Discrimination in Human Amygdala and Ventral Visual Cortex. ''Journal Of Neuroscience, 29''(47), 14864-14868. https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.3278-09.2009
Samouei, R., & Valiani, M. (2017). Psychological experiences of women regarding menopause. ''International Journal Of Educational And Psychological Researches, 3'', 1-5. https://www.ijeprjournal.org/text.asp?2017/3/1/1/179065
Strauss, J. (2011). Contextual Influences on Women's Health Concerns and Attitudes toward Menopause. ''Health & Social Work, 36'', 121. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21661301/
Stuenkel, C., Davis, S., Gompel, A., Lumsden, M., Murad, M., Pinkerton, J., & Santen, R. (2015). Treatment of Symptoms of the Menopause: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline. ''The Journal Of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 100''(11), 3975-4011. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2015-2236
}}
==External links==
*[https://programs.bodylogicmd.com/bodylogicmd-menopause/?tid=cpc.google.g.11155356637.111038508202.%2Bmenopause%20%2Btreatment.Cj0KCQjwwNWKBhDAARIsAJ8HkhfGFlNncERzbr3JfiAfGGTYpdqbdNaUNdUhF0Bw54CY65Uby7e6dvAaAuLGEALw_wcB.b.c.466243483900&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwNWKBhDAARIsAJ8HkhfGFlNncERzbr3JfiAfGGTYpdqbdNaUNdUhF0Bw54CY65Uby7e6dvAaAuLGEALw_wcB Fighting Menopausal Symptoms] (BodyLogicMD.com)
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mw05gqn130Q What to Expect During Perimenopause] (Youtube)
[[Category:Motivation and emotion/Book/2021]]
[[Category:Motivation and emotion/Book/Hormones]]
[[Category:Motivation and emotion/Book/Menopause]]
0xs4r42db1qi7ynshr36myukjatqwyv
User talk:Agan56
3
284761
2805718
2621298
2026-04-20T21:39:33Z
OhanaUnited
18921
/* Please check special:diff/2621262 (edit to your user page) */ Reply
2805718
wikitext
text/x-wiki
{{Robelbox|theme=9|title=Welcome!|width=100%}}
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'''Hello and [[Wikiversity:Welcome|Welcome]] to [[Wikiversity:What is Wikiversity|Wikiversity]] Agan56!''' You can [[Wikiversity:Contact|contact us]] with [[Wikiversity:Questions|questions]] at the [[Wikiversity:Colloquium|colloquium]] or [[User talk:Dave Braunschweig|me personally]] when you need [[Help:Contents|help]]. Please remember to [[Wikiversity:Signature|sign and date]] your finished comments when [[Wikiversity:Who are Wikiversity participants?|participating]] in [[Wikiversity:Talk page|discussions]]. The signature icon [[File:OOjs UI icon signature-ltr.svg]] above the edit window makes it simple. All users are expected to abide by our [[Wikiversity:Privacy policy|Privacy]], [[Wikiversity:Civility|Civility]], and the [[Foundation:Terms of Use|Terms of Use]] policies while at Wikiversity.
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[[User:MaintenanceBot|MaintenanceBot]] ([[User talk:MaintenanceBot|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/MaintenanceBot|contribs]]) 05:15, 23 December 2022 (UTC)
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[[User:MaintenanceBot|MaintenanceBot]] ([[User talk:MaintenanceBot|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/MaintenanceBot|contribs]]) 22:22, 23 February 2023 (UTC)
== Article formatting issues ==
Could you please address article formatting issues that we've described at https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Talk:WikiJournal_of_Medicine/Alternative_androgens_pathways#Minor_Issues --[[User:Maxim Masiutin|Maxim Masiutin]] ([[User talk:Maxim Masiutin|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Maxim Masiutin|contribs]]) 11:56, 15 April 2023 (UTC)
:I will look into it and revert ASAP [[User:Agan56|Agan56]] ([[User talk:Agan56|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Agan56|contribs]]) 20:36, 15 April 2023 (UTC)
::All the corrections have been effected. Please verify [[Special:Contributions/105.112.51.225|105.112.51.225]] ([[User talk:105.112.51.225|discuss]]) 00:13, 16 April 2023 (UTC)
:::Thank you! I reviewed the file https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiversity/en/archive/6/6c/20230416005002%21Alternative_Androgen_Pathways.pdf but the issues we mentioned earlier still exist, I have described them in detail at https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Talk:WikiJournal_of_Medicine/Alternative_androgens_pathways#PDF_Issues [[User:Maxim Masiutin|Maxim Masiutin]] ([[User talk:Maxim Masiutin|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Maxim Masiutin|contribs]]) 08:10, 16 April 2023 (UTC)
::::I was unable to upload it. I will try it again today. Sorry for the delay [[Special:Contributions/105.112.57.203|105.112.57.203]] ([[User talk:105.112.57.203|discuss]]) 09:14, 16 April 2023 (UTC)
:::{{ping|Maneesh}}{{ping|Agan56}}{{ping|Rwatson1955}} [[User:Maxim Masiutin|Maxim Masiutin]] ([[User talk:Maxim Masiutin|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Maxim Masiutin|contribs]]) 08:12, 16 April 2023 (UTC)
::::The corrections have been made and you can download and see for yourself. Should there be any further correction, please let me know [[Special:Contributions/105.112.150.56|105.112.150.56]] ([[User talk:105.112.150.56|discuss]]) 14:38, 16 April 2023 (UTC)
:::::Can you confirm that the text in Figure 2 and 3 is crisp and legible when you view it? It still looks poorly rasterized to me, I've tried reloading the article to ensure it isn't a cache issue. Fig 1 also too big. It can be reduced at least 25% of its current size. [[User:Maneesh|Maneesh]] ([[User talk:Maneesh|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Maneesh|contribs]]) 15:44, 16 April 2023 (UTC)
::::::Can anyone clarify how the pdf is being produced? Is it some sort of online wp tool? [[User:Maneesh|Maneesh]] ([[User talk:Maneesh|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Maneesh|contribs]]) 15:46, 16 April 2023 (UTC)
:::::::The corections made were according to the wikijournal of medicine template. From the template Figure 1 is large while the rest of the figures actually fits into the divided column. If you remember, i did enlarge the figures but they were still not clear and i opened the original figures in SVG and could not copy it into the word doc file of this article. I had to revert to the journal template which is what you are seeing. The figures were placed strictly according to the journal template. You can check it up. The PDF file was developed from microsoft office 2010 which has an opening for saving word doc in pdf format. That was what i used to convert the word doc. #figures 2 and 3 is not clear and even when you open the file fully, you cants copy it to word doc. I hope my explanations are clear. I am still available to assist. [[Special:Contributions/105.112.28.17|105.112.28.17]] ([[User talk:105.112.28.17|discuss]]) 16:29, 16 April 2023 (UTC)
::::::::It's difficult to explain, but Figure 1 needs to be made small for a pdf (perhaps we should have "pdf hints" in the figure templates used in the wiki journals). The sizes in web article are all similar since the user is expected to click on Figure 2 and 3 for all the detail. Do I understand correctly that the PDF is being typeset manually in MS Word offline? That explains the poor quality rasterization of the SVG. Is this the standard process for the journal? I would have thought there was some automated thing that would translate the web article into latex for typesetting and then output pdf (something like [https://mediawiki2latex.wmflabs.org/ this]). Not trying to be a pain here, but the rasterization effects are simply not acceptable for publishing, it would be better not to make the PDF in this case. As far as I can tell, MSWord will rasterize embedded SVG and PDF and this will remain broken for the forseeable future. Is there any direction within the project to automate the pdf production? I am happy to make the PDF properly in latex if that is of any help.
::::::::Like I said, I am not trying to be a pain, or single handedly overhaul the process being used here. I know very little about how things are organized behind the scenes, but this quality of typesetting is simply not acceptable and is an inherent limitation of MS Word. We can probably fix it on the spot by embedding PDFs of the figures (which I can send) and ensuring that Word rasterizes at some super high dpi, but this tends to result in big file sizes. It shouldn't be this way here given the text is already well structured in the wiki and the requirement for svg is already there. [[User:Maneesh|Maneesh]] ([[User talk:Maneesh|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Maneesh|contribs]]) 17:16, 16 April 2023 (UTC)
:::::::::Hi Maneesh - no being a pain at all, we are glad you brought this to our attention and we are trying to find a fix. [[User:Rwatson1955|Rwatson1955]] ([[User talk:Rwatson1955|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/Rwatson1955|contribs]]) 08:44, 21 April 2023 (UTC)
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* [[:File:Alternative Androgen Pathways.pdf]]
* [[:File:Alternative androgen pathways.pdf]]
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[[User:MaintenanceBot|MaintenanceBot]] ([[User talk:MaintenanceBot|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/MaintenanceBot|contribs]]) 01:55, 16 April 2023 (UTC)
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[[User:MaintenanceBot|MaintenanceBot]] ([[User talk:MaintenanceBot|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/MaintenanceBot|contribs]]) 14:17, 30 April 2023 (UTC)
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[[User:MaintenanceBot|MaintenanceBot]] ([[User talk:MaintenanceBot|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/MaintenanceBot|contribs]]) 21:41, 5 May 2023 (UTC)
== [[Talk:WikiJournal_of_Medicine/Alternative_androgen_pathways]] ==
Hello, your response about DOI link updates is requested at this talk page. We will be waiting to hear from you as soon as possible. [[User:MathXplore|MathXplore]] ([[User talk:MathXplore|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/MathXplore|contribs]]) 02:31, 22 August 2023 (UTC)
== Please check [[special:diff/2621262]] (edit to your user page) ==
Hello, an editor who is not logged in has made changes to your user page. Please check if this was done by you or not. Thank you for your attention. [[User:MathXplore|MathXplore]] ([[User talk:MathXplore|discuss]] • [[Special:Contributions/MathXplore|contribs]]) 02:00, 18 April 2024 (UTC)
:@[[User:MathXplore|MathXplore]] Sorry for being late to this. I know Agan56 in real life and can confirm that the info within the edits are accurate. He probably forgot to login at the time of the editing. [[User:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: #0000FF;">OhanaUnited</span></b>]][[User talk:OhanaUnited|<b><span style="color: green;"><sup>Talk page</sup></span></b>]] 21:39, 20 April 2026 (UTC)
h1bol4a8izovunhmtxlygr8y7rrdigd
C language in plain view
0
285380
2805641
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2026-04-20T13:53:34Z
Young1lim
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/* Applications */
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=== Introduction ===
* Overview ([[Media:C01.Intro1.Overview.1.A.20170925.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:C01.Intro1.Overview.1.B.20170901.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:C01.Intro1.Overview.1.C.20170904.pdf |C.pdf]])
* Number System ([[Media:C01.Intro2.Number.1.A.20171023.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:C01.Intro2.Number.1.B.20170909.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:C01.Intro2.Number.1.C.20170914.pdf |C.pdf]])
* Memory System ([[Media:C01.Intro2.Memory.1.A.20170907.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:C01.Intro3.Memory.1.B.20170909.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:C01.Intro3.Memory.1.C.20170914.pdf |C.pdf]])
=== Handling Repetition ===
* Control ([[Media:C02.Repeat1.Control.1.A.20170925.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:C02.Repeat1.Control.1.B.20170918.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:C02.Repeat1.Control.1.C.20170926.pdf |C.pdf]])
* Loop ([[Media:C02.Repeat2.Loop.1.A.20170925.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:C02.Repeat2.Loop.1.B.20170918.pdf |B.pdf]])
=== Handling a Big Work ===
* Function Overview ([[Media:C03.Func1.Overview.1.A.20171030.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:C03.Func1.Oerview.1.B.20161022.pdf |B.pdf]])
* Functions & Variables ([[Media:C03.Func2.Variable.1.A.20161222.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:C03.Func2.Variable.1.B.20161222.pdf |B.pdf]])
* Functions & Pointers ([[Media:C03.Func3.Pointer.1.A.20161122.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:C03.Func3.Pointer.1.B.20161122.pdf |B.pdf]])
* Functions & Recursions ([[Media:C03.Func4.Recursion.1.A.20161214.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:C03.Func4.Recursion.1.B.20161214.pdf |B.pdf]])
=== Handling Series of Data ===
==== Background ====
* Background ([[Media:C04.Series0.Background.1.A.20180727.pdf |A.pdf]])
==== Basics ====
* Pointers ([[Media:C04.S1.Pointer.1A.20240524.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:C04.Series2.Pointer.1.B.20161115.pdf |B.pdf]])
* Arrays ([[Media:C04.S2.Array.1A.20240514.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:C04.Series1.Array.1.B.20161115.pdf |B.pdf]])
* Array Pointers ([[Media:C04.S3.ArrayPointer.1A.20240208.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:C04.Series3.ArrayPointer.1.B.20181203.pdf |B.pdf]])
* Multi-dimensional Arrays ([[Media:C04.Series4.MultiDim.1.A.20221130.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:C04.Series4.MultiDim.1.B.1111.pdf |B.pdf]])
* Array Access Methods ([[Media:C04.Series4.ArrayAccess.1.A.20190511.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:C04.Series3.ArrayPointer.1.B.20181203.pdf |B.pdf]])
* Structures ([[Media:C04.Series3.Structure.1.A.20171204.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:C04.Series2.Structure.1.B.20161130.pdf |B.pdf]])
==== Examples ====
* Spreadsheet Example Programs
:: Example 1 ([[Media:C04.Series7.Example.1.A.20171213.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:C04.Series7.Example.1.C.20171213.pdf |C.pdf]])
:: Example 2 ([[Media:C04.Series7.Example.2.A.20171213.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:C04.Series7.Example.2.C.20171213.pdf |C.pdf]])
:: Example 3 ([[Media:C04.Series7.Example.3.A.20171213.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:C04.Series7.Example.3.C.20171213.pdf |C.pdf]])
:: Bubble Sort ([[Media:C04.Series7.BubbleSort.1.A.20171211.pdf |A.pdf]])
==== Applications ====
* Address-of and de-reference operators ([[Media:C04.SA0.PtrOperator.1A.20260420.pdf |A.pdf]])
* Applications of Pointers ([[Media:C04.SA1.AppPointer.1A.20241121.pdf |A.pdf]])
* Applications of Arrays ([[Media:C04.SA2.AppArray.1A.20240715.pdf |A.pdf]])
* Applications of Array Pointers ([[Media:C04.SA3.AppArrayPointer.1A.20240210.pdf |A.pdf]])
* Applications of Multi-dimensional Arrays ([[Media:C04.Series4App.MultiDim.1.A.20210719.pdf |A.pdf]])
* Applications of Array Access Methods ([[Media:C04.Series9.AppArrAcess.1.A.20190511.pdf |A.pdf]])
* Applications of Structures ([[Media:C04.Series6.AppStruct.1.A.20190423.pdf |A.pdf]])
=== Handling Various Kinds of Data ===
* Types ([[Media:C05.Data1.Type.1.A.20180217.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:C05.Data1.Type.1.B.20161212.pdf |B.pdf]])
* Typecasts ([[Media:C05.Data2.TypeCast.1.A.20180217.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:C05.Data2.TypeCast.1.B.20161216.pdf |A.pdf]])
* Operators ([[Media:C05.Data3.Operators.1.A.20161219.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:C05.Data3.Operators.1.B.20161216.pdf |B.pdf]])
* Files ([[Media:C05.Data4.File.1.A.20161124.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:C05.Data4.File.1.B.20161212.pdf |B.pdf]])
=== Handling Low Level Operations ===
* Bitwise Operations ([[Media:BitOp.1.B.20161214.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:BitOp.1.B.20161203.pdf |B.pdf]])
* Bit Field ([[Media:BitField.1.A.20161214.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:BitField.1.B.20161202.pdf |B.pdf]])
* Union ([[Media:Union.1.A.20161221.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:Union.1.B.20161111.pdf |B.pdf]])
* Accessing IO Registers ([[Media:IO.1.A.20141215.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:IO.1.B.20161217.pdf |B.pdf]])
=== Declarations ===
* Type Specifiers and Qualifiers ([[Media:C07.Spec1.Type.1.A.20171004.pdf |pdf]])
* Storage Class Specifiers ([[Media:C07.Spec2.Storage.1.A.20171009.pdf |pdf]])
* Scope
=== Class Notes ===
* TOC ([[Media:TOC.20171007.pdf |TOC.pdf]])
* Day01 ([[Media:Day01.A.20171007.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:Day01.B.20171209.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:Day01.C.20171211.pdf |C.pdf]]) ...... Introduction (1) Standard Library
* Day02 ([[Media:Day02.A.20171007.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:Day02.B.20171209.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:Day02.C.20171209.pdf |C.pdf]]) ...... Introduction (2) Basic Elements
* Day03 ([[Media:Day03.A.20171007.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:Day03.B.20170908.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:Day03.C.20171209.pdf |C.pdf]]) ...... Introduction (3) Numbers
* Day04 ([[Media:Day04.A.20171007.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:Day04.B.20170915.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:Day04.C.20171209.pdf |C.pdf]]) ...... Structured Programming (1) Flowcharts
* Day05 ([[Media:Day05.A.20171007.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:Day05.B.20170915.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:Day05.C.20171209.pdf |C.pdf]]) ...... Structured Programming (2) Conditions and Loops
* Day06 ([[Media:Day06.A.20171007.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:Day06.B.20170923.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:Day06.C.20171209.pdf |C.pdf]]) ...... Program Control
* Day07 ([[Media:Day07.A.20171007.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:Day07.B.20170926.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:Day07.C.20171209.pdf |C.pdf]]) ...... Function (1) Definitions
* Day08 ([[Media:Day08.A.20171028.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:Day08.B.20171016.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:Day08.C.20171209.pdf |C.pdf]]) ...... Function (2) Storage Class and Scope
* Day09 ([[Media:Day09.A.20171007.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:Day09.B.20171017.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:Day09.C.20171209.pdf |C.pdf]]) ...... Function (3) Recursion
* Day10 ([[Media:Day10.A.20171209.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:Day10.B.20171017.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:Day10.C.20171209.pdf |C.pdf]]) ...... Arrays (1) Definitions
* Day11 ([[Media:Day11.A.20171024.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:Day11.B.20171017.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:Day11.C.20171212.pdf |C.pdf]]) ...... Arrays (2) Applications
* Day12 ([[Media:Day12.A.20171024.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:Day12.B.20171020.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:Day12.C.20171209.pdf |C.pdf]]) ...... Pointers (1) Definitions
* Day13 ([[Media:Day13.A.20171025.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:Day13.B.20171024.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:Day13.C.20171209.pdf |C.pdf]]) ...... Pointers (2) Applications
* Day14 ([[Media:Day14.A.20171226.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:Day14.B.20171101.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:Day14.C.20171209.pdf |C.pdf]]) ...... C String (1)
* Day15 ([[Media:Day15.A.20171209.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:Day15.B.20171124.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:Day15.C.20171209.pdf |C.pdf]]) ...... C String (2)
* Day16 ([[Media:Day16.A.20171208.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:Day16.B.20171114.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:Day16.C.20171209.pdf |C.pdf]]) ...... C Formatted IO
* Day17 ([[Media:Day17.A.20171031.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:Day17.B.20171111.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:Day17.C.20171209.pdf |C.pdf]]) ...... Structure (1) Definitions
* Day18 ([[Media:Day18.A.20171206.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:Day18.B.20171128.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:Day18.C.20171212.pdf |C.pdf]]) ...... Structure (2) Applications
* Day19 ([[Media:Day19.A.20171205.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:Day19.B.20171121.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:Day19.C.20171209.pdf |C.pdf]]) ...... Union, Bitwise Operators, Enum
* Day20 ([[Media:Day20.A.20171205.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:Day20.B.20171201.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:Day20.C.20171212.pdf |C.pdf]]) ...... Linked List
* Day21 ([[Media:Day21.A.20171206.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:Day21.B.20171208.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:Day21.C.20171212.pdf |C.pdf]]) ...... File Processing
* Day22 ([[Media:Day22.A.20171212.pdf |A.pdf]], [[Media:Day22.B.20171213.pdf |B.pdf]], [[Media:Day22.C.20171212.pdf |C.pdf]]) ...... Preprocessing
<!---------------------------------------------------------------------->
</br>
See also https://cprogramex.wordpress.com/
== '''Old Materials '''==
until 201201
* Intro.Overview.1.A ([[Media:C.Intro.Overview.1.A.20120107.pdf |pdf]])
* Intro.Memory.1.A ([[Media:C.Intro.Memory.1.A.20120107.pdf |pdf]])
* Intro.Number.1.A ([[Media:C.Intro.Number.1.A.20120107.pdf |pdf]])
* Repeat.Control.1.A ([[Media:C.Repeat.Control.1.A.20120109.pdf |pdf]])
* Repeat.Loop.1.A ([[Media:C.Repeat.Loop.1.A.20120113.pdf |pdf]])
* Work.Function.1.A ([[Media:C.Work.Function.1.A.20120117.pdf |pdf]])
* Work.Scope.1.A ([[Media:C.Work.Scope.1.A.20120117.pdf |pdf]])
* Series.Array.1.A ([[Media:Series.Array.1.A.20110718.pdf |pdf]])
* Series.Pointer.1.A ([[Media:Series.Pointer.1.A.20110719.pdf |pdf]])
* Series.Structure.1.A ([[Media:Series.Structure.1.A.20110805.pdf |pdf]])
* Data.Type.1.A ([[Media:C05.Data2.TypeCast.1.A.20130813.pdf |pdf]])
* Data.TypeCast.1.A ([[Media:Data.TypeCast.1.A.pdf |pdf]])
* Data.Operators.1.A ([[Media:Data.Operators.1.A.20110712.pdf |pdf]])
<br>
until 201107
* Intro.1.A ([[Media:Intro.1.A.pdf |pdf]])
* Control.1.A ([[Media:Control.1.A.20110706.pdf |pdf]])
* Iteration.1.A ([[Media:Iteration.1.A.pdf |pdf]])
* Function.1.A ([[Media:Function.1.A.20110705.pdf |pdf]])
* Variable.1.A ([[Media:Variable.1.A.20110708.pdf |pdf]])
* Operators.1.A ([[Media:Operators.1.A.20110712.pdf |pdf]])
* Pointer.1.A ([[Media:Pointer.1.A.pdf |pdf]])
* Pointer.2.A ([[Media:Pointer.2.A.pdf |pdf]])
* Array.1.A ([[Media:Array.1.A.pdf |pdf]])
* Type.1.A ([[Media:Type.1.A.pdf |pdf]])
* Structure.1.A ([[Media:Structure.1.A.pdf |pdf]])
go to [ [[C programming in plain view]] ]
[[Category:C programming language]]
</br>
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I am Peter Nkashi Agan, I joined the services of WikiJournal of Science in the month of June 2022 as a tech editor. I am always available to perform any assigned task with diligence and precision.
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{{Article info
|journal=Wikijournal Preprints
|last=Christie
|first=David Brooks
|abstract=The 24-cell is one of only a few uniform polytopes in which the edge length equals the radius. It is the only one of the six convex regular 4-polytopes which is not the analogue of one of the five Platonic solids. It contains all the convex regular polytopes of four or fewer dimensions made of triangles or squares except the 4-simplex, but it contains no pentagons. It has just four distinct chord lengths, which are the diameters of the hypercubes of dimensions 1 through 4. The 24-cell is the unique construction of these four hypercubic chords and all the regular polytopes that can be built from them. Isoclinic rotations relate the convex regular 4-polytopes to each other, and determine the way they nest inside one another. The 24-cell's characteristic isoclinic rotation takes place in four Clifford parallel great hexagon central planes. It also inherits an isoclinic rotation in six Clifford parallel great square central planes that is characteristic of its three constituent 16-cells. We explore the geometry of the 24-cell in detail, as an expression of its rotational symmetries.
|w1=24-cell
}}
== The unique 24-point 24-cell polytope ==
The [[24-cell]] does not have a regular analogue in three dimensions or any other number of dimensions.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=289|loc=Epilogue|ps=; "Another peculiarity of four-dimensional space is the occurrence of the 24-cell {3,4,3}, which stands quite alone, having no analogue above or below."}} It is the only one of the six convex regular 4-polytopes which is not the analogue of one of the five Platonic solids. However, it can be seen as the analogue of a pair of irregular solids: the [[W:Cuboctahedron|cuboctahedron]] and its dual the [[W:Rhombic dodecahedron|rhombic dodecahedron]].{{Sfn|Coxeter|1995|loc=(Paper 3) ''Two aspects of the regular 24-cell in four dimensions''|p=25}}
The 24-cell and the [[W:Tesseract|8-cell (tesseract)]] are the only convex regular 4-polytopes in which the edge length equals the radius. The long radius (center to vertex) of each is equal to its edge length; thus its long diameter (vertex to opposite vertex) is 2 edge lengths. Only a few uniform polytopes have this property, including these two four-dimensional polytopes, the three-dimensional [[W:Cuboctahedron#Radial equilateral symmetry|cuboctahedron]], and the two-dimensional [[W:Hexagon#Regular hexagon|hexagon]]. The cuboctahedron is the equatorial cross section of the 24-cell, and the hexagon is the equatorial cross section of the cuboctahedron. These '''radially equilateral polytopes''' are those which can be constructed, with their long radii, from equilateral triangles which meet at the center of the polytope, each contributing two radii and an edge.
== The 24-cell in the proper sequence of 4-polytopes ==
The 24-cell incorporates the geometries of every convex regular polytope in the first four dimensions, except the 5-cell (4-simplex), those with a 5 in their Schlӓfli symbol,{{Efn|The convex regular polytopes in the first four dimensions with a 5 in their Schlӓfli symbol are the [[W:Pentagon|pentagon]] {5}, the [[W:Icosahedron|icosahedron]] {3, 5}, the [[W:Dodecahedron|dodecahedron]] {5, 3}, the [[600-cell]] {3,3,5} and the [[120-cell]] {5,3,3}. The [[5-cell]] {3, 3, 3} is also pentagonal in the sense that its [[W:Petrie polygon|Petrie polygon]] is the pentagon.|name=pentagonal polytopes|group=}} and the regular polygons with 7 or more sides. In other words, the 24-cell contains ''all'' of the regular polytopes made of triangles and squares that exist in four dimensions except the regular 5-cell, but ''none'' of the pentagonal polytopes. It is especially useful to explore the 24-cell, because one can see the geometric relationships among all of these regular polytopes in a single 24-cell or [[W:24-cell honeycomb|its honeycomb]].
The 24-cell is the fourth in the sequence of six [[W:Convex regular 4-polytope|convex regular 4-polytope]]s in order of size and complexity. These can be ordered by size as a measure of 4-dimensional content (hypervolume) for the same radius. This is their proper order of enumeration: the order in which they nest inside each other as compounds.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|loc=§7.8 The enumeration of possible regular figures|p=136}}{{Sfn|Goucher|2020|loc=Subsumptions of regular polytopes}} Each greater polytope in the sequence is ''rounder'' than its predecessor, enclosing more content{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=292-293|loc=Table I(ii): The sixteen regular polytopes {''p,q,r''} in four dimensions|ps=; An invaluable table providing all 20 metrics of each 4-polytope in edge length units. They must be algebraically converted to compare polytopes of the same radius.}} within the same radius. The 5-cell (4-simplex) is the limit smallest (and sharpest) case, and the 120-cell is the largest (and roundest). Complexity (as measured by comparing [[24-cell#As a configuration|configuration matrices]] or simply the number of vertices) follows the same ordering. This provides an alternative numerical naming scheme for regular polytopes in which the 24-cell is the 24-point 4-polytope: fourth in the ascending sequence that runs from 5-point (5-cell) 4-polytope to 600-point (120-cell) 4-polytope.
The 24-cell can be deconstructed into 3 overlapping instances of its predecessor the [[W:Tesseract|8-cell (tesseract)]], as the 8-cell can be deconstructed into 2 instances of its predecessor the [[16-cell]].{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=302|pp=|loc=Table VI (ii): 𝐈𝐈 = {3,4,3}|ps=: see Result column}} The reverse procedure to construct each of these from an instance of its predecessor preserves the radius of the predecessor, but generally produces a successor with a smaller edge length. The edge length will always be different unless predecessor and successor are ''both'' radially equilateral, i.e. their edge length is the same as their radius (so both are preserved). Since radially equilateral polytopes are rare, it seems that the only such construction (in any dimension) is from the 8-cell to the 24-cell, making the 24-cell the unique regular polytope (in any dimension) which has the same edge length as its predecessor of the same radius.
{{Regular convex 4-polytopes|wiki=W:|radius={{radic|2}}|instance=1}}
== Coordinates ==
The 24-cell has two natural systems of Cartesian coordinates, which reveal distinct structure.
=== Great squares ===
The 24-cell is the [[W:Convex hull|convex hull]] of its vertices which can be described as the 24 coordinate [[W:Permutation|permutation]]s of:
<math display="block">(\pm1, \pm 1, 0, 0) \in \mathbb{R}^4 .</math>
Those coordinates{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=156|loc=§8.7. Cartesian Coordinates}} can be constructed as {{Coxeter–Dynkin diagram|node|3|node_1|3|node|4|node}}, [[W:Rectification (geometry)|rectifying]] the [[16-cell]] {{Coxeter–Dynkin diagram|node_1|3|node|3|node|4|node}} with the 8 vertices that are permutations of (±2,0,0,0). The vertex figure of a 16-cell is the [[W:Octahedron|octahedron]]; thus, cutting the vertices of the 16-cell at the midpoint of its incident edges produces 8 octahedral cells. This process{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=|pp=145-146|loc=§8.1 The simple truncations of the general regular polytope}} also rectifies the tetrahedral cells of the 16-cell which become 16 octahedra, giving the 24-cell 24 octahedral cells.
In this frame of reference the 24-cell has edges of length {{sqrt|2}} and is inscribed in a [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]] of radius {{sqrt|2}}. Remarkably, the edge length equals the circumradius, as in the [[W:Hexagon|hexagon]], or the [[W:Cuboctahedron|cuboctahedron]].
The 24 vertices form 18 great squares{{Efn|The edges of six of the squares are aligned with the grid lines of the ''{{radic|2}} radius coordinate system''. For example:
{{indent|5}}({{spaces|2}}0, −1,{{spaces|2}}1,{{spaces|2}}0){{spaces|3}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}1,{{spaces|2}}1,{{spaces|2}}0)
{{indent|5}}({{spaces|2}}0, −1, −1,{{spaces|2}}0){{spaces|3}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}1, −1,{{spaces|2}}0)<br>
is the square in the ''xy'' plane. The edges of the squares are not 24-cell edges, they are interior chords joining two vertices 90<sup>o</sup> distant from each other; so the squares are merely invisible configurations of four of the 24-cell's vertices, not visible 24-cell features.|name=|group=}} (3 sets of 6 orthogonal{{Efn|Up to 6 planes can be mutually orthogonal in 4 dimensions. 3 dimensional space accommodates only 3 perpendicular axes and 3 perpendicular planes through a single point. In 4 dimensional space we may have 4 perpendicular axes and 6 perpendicular planes through a point (for the same reason that the tetrahedron has 6 edges, not 4): there are 6 ways to take 4 dimensions 2 at a time.{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}} Three such perpendicular planes (pairs of axes) meet at each vertex of the 24-cell (for the same reason that three edges meet at each vertex of the tetrahedron). Each of the 6 planes is [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] to just one of the other planes: the only one with which it does not share a line (for the same reason that each edge of the tetrahedron is orthogonal to just one of the other edges: the only one with which it does not share a point). Two completely orthogonal planes are perpendicular and opposite each other, as two edges of the tetrahedron are perpendicular and opposite.|name=six orthogonal planes tetrahedral symmetry}} central squares), 3 of which intersect at each vertex. By viewing just one square at each vertex, the 24-cell can be seen as the vertices of 3 pairs of [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]]{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}} great squares which intersect{{Efn|Two planes in 4-dimensional space can have four possible reciprocal positions: (1) they can coincide (be exactly the same plane); (2) they can be parallel (the only way they can fail to intersect at all); (3) they can intersect in a single line, as two non-parallel planes do in 3-dimensional space; or (4) '''they can intersect in a single point'''{{Efn|To visualize how two planes can intersect in a single point in a four dimensional space, consider the Euclidean space (w, x, y, z) and imagine that the w dimension represents time rather than a spatial dimension. The xy central plane (where w{{=}}0, z{{=}}0) shares no axis with the wz central plane (where x{{=}}0, y{{=}}0). The xy plane exists at only a single instant in time (w{{=}}0); the wz plane (and in particular the w axis) exists all the time. Thus their only moment and place of intersection is at the origin point (0,0,0,0).|name=how planes intersect at a single point}} if they are [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]].|name=how planes intersect}} at no vertices.{{Efn|name=three square fibrations}}
=== Great hexagons ===
The 24-cell is [[W:Self-dual|self-dual]], having the same number of vertices (24) as cells and the same number of edges (96) as faces.
If the dual of the above 24-cell of edge length {{sqrt|2}} is taken by reciprocating it about its ''inscribed'' sphere, another 24-cell is found which has edge length and circumradius 1, and its coordinates reveal more structure. In this frame of reference the 24-cell lies vertex-up, and its vertices can be given as follows:
8 vertices obtained by permuting the ''integer'' coordinates:
<math display="block">\left( \pm 1, 0, 0, 0 \right)</math>
and 16 vertices with ''half-integer'' coordinates of the form:
<math display="block">\left( \pm \tfrac{1}{2}, \pm \tfrac{1}{2}, \pm \tfrac{1}{2}, \pm \tfrac{1}{2} \right)</math>
all 24 of which lie at distance 1 from the origin.
[[24-cell#Quaternionic interpretation|Viewed as quaternions]],{{Efn|In [[W:Euclidean geometry#Higher dimensions|four-dimensional Euclidean geometry]], a [[W:Quaternion|quaternion]] is simply a (w, x, y, z) Cartesian coordinate. [[W:William Rowan Hamilton|Hamilton]] did not see them as such when he [[W:History of quaternions|discovered the quaternions]]. [[W:Ludwig Schläfli|Schläfli]] would be the first to consider [[W:4-dimensional space|four-dimensional Euclidean space]], publishing his discovery of the regular [[W:Polyscheme|polyscheme]]s in 1852, but Hamilton would never be influenced by that work, which remained obscure into the 20th century. Hamilton found the quaternions when he realized that a fourth dimension, in some sense, would be necessary in order to model rotations in three-dimensional space.{{Sfn|Stillwell|2001|p=18-21}} Although he described a quaternion as an ''ordered four-element multiple of real numbers'', the quaternions were for him an extension of the complex numbers, not a Euclidean space of four dimensions.|name=quaternions}} these are the unit [[W:Hurwitz quaternions|Hurwitz quaternions]]. These 24 quaternions represent (in antipodal pairs) the 12 rotations of a regular tetrahedron.{{Sfn|Stillwell|2001|p=22}}
The 24-cell has unit radius and unit edge length in this coordinate system. We refer to the system as ''unit radius coordinates'' to distinguish it from others, such as the {{sqrt|2}} radius coordinates used to reveal the [[#Great squares|great squares]] above.{{Efn|The edges of the orthogonal great squares are ''not'' aligned with the grid lines of the ''unit radius coordinate system''. Six of the squares do lie in the 6 orthogonal planes of this coordinate system, but their edges are the {{sqrt|2}} ''diagonals'' of unit edge length squares of the coordinate lattice. For example:
{{indent|17}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}1,{{spaces|2}}0)
{{indent|5}}({{spaces|2}}0, −1,{{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0){{spaces|3}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}1,{{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0)
{{indent|17}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0, −1,{{spaces|2}}0)<br>
is the square in the ''xy'' plane. Notice that the 8 ''integer'' coordinates comprise the vertices of the 6 orthogonal squares.|name=orthogonal squares|group=}}
{{Regular convex 4-polytopes|wiki=W:|radius=1}}
The 24 vertices and 96 edges form 16 non-orthogonal great hexagons,{{Efn|The hexagons are inclined (tilted) at 60 degrees with respect to the unit radius coordinate system's orthogonal planes. Each hexagonal plane contains only ''one'' of the 4 coordinate system axes.{{Efn|Each great hexagon of the 24-cell contains one axis (one pair of antipodal vertices) belonging to each of the three inscribed 16-cells. The 24-cell contains three disjoint inscribed 16-cells, rotated 60° isoclinically{{Efn|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} with respect to each other (so their corresponding vertices are 120° {{=}} {{radic|3}} apart). A [[16-cell#Coordinates|16-cell is an orthonormal ''basis'']] for a 4-dimensional coordinate system, because its 8 vertices define the four orthogonal axes. In any choice of a vertex-up coordinate system (such as the unit radius coordinates used in this article), one of the three inscribed 16-cells is the basis for the coordinate system, and each hexagon has only ''one'' axis which is a coordinate system axis.|name=three basis 16-cells}} The hexagon consists of 3 pairs of opposite vertices (three 24-cell diameters): one opposite pair of ''integer'' coordinate vertices (one of the four coordinate axes), and two opposite pairs of ''half-integer'' coordinate vertices (not coordinate axes). For example:
{{indent|17}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}1,{{spaces|2}}0)
{{indent|5}}({{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>){{spaces|3}}({{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>)
{{indent|5}}(−<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>){{spaces|3}}(−<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>)
{{indent|17}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0, −1,{{spaces|2}}0)<br>
is a hexagon on the ''y'' axis. Unlike the {{sqrt|2}} squares, the hexagons are actually made of 24-cell edges, so they are visible features of the 24-cell.|name=non-orthogonal hexagons|group=}} four of which intersect{{Efn||name=how planes intersect}} at each vertex.{{Efn|It is not difficult to visualize four hexagonal planes intersecting at 60 degrees to each other, even in three dimensions. Four hexagonal central planes intersect at 60 degrees in the [[W:Cuboctahedron|cuboctahedron]]. Four of the 24-cell's 16 hexagonal central planes (lying in the same 3-dimensional hyperplane) intersect at each of the 24-cell's vertices exactly the way they do at the center of a cuboctahedron. But the ''edges'' around the vertex do not meet as the radii do at the center of a cuboctahedron; the 24-cell has 8 edges around each vertex, not 12, so its vertex figure is the cube, not the cuboctahedron. The 8 edges meet exactly the way 8 edges do at the apex of a canonical [[W:Cubic pyramid|cubic pyramid]].{{Efn|name=24-cell vertex figure}}|name=cuboctahedral hexagons}} By viewing just one hexagon at each vertex, the 24-cell can be seen as the 24 vertices of 4 non-intersecting hexagonal great circles which are [[W:Clifford parallel|Clifford parallel]] to each other.{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}}
The 12 axes and 16 hexagons of the 24-cell constitute a [[W:Reye configuration|Reye configuration]], which in the language of [[W:Configuration (geometry)|configurations]] is written as 12<sub>4</sub>16<sub>3</sub> to indicate that each axis belongs to 4 hexagons, and each hexagon contains 3 axes.{{Sfn|Waegell|Aravind|2009|loc=§3.4 The 24-cell: points, lines and Reye's configuration|pp=4-5|ps=; In the 24-cell Reye's "points" and "lines" are axes and hexagons, respectively.}}
=== Great triangles ===
The 24 vertices form 32 equilateral great triangles, of edge length {{radic|3}} in the unit-radius 24-cell,{{Efn|These triangles' edges of length {{sqrt|3}} are the diagonals{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}} of cubical cells of unit edge length found within the 24-cell, but those cubical (tesseract){{Efn|name=three 8-cells}} cells are not cells of the unit radius coordinate lattice.|name=cube diagonals}} inscribed in the 16 great hexagons.{{Efn|These triangles lie in the same planes containing the hexagons;{{Efn|name=non-orthogonal hexagons}} two triangles of edge length {{sqrt|3}} are inscribed in each hexagon. For example, in unit radius coordinates:
{{indent|17}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}1,{{spaces|2}}0)
{{indent|5}}({{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>){{spaces|3}}({{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>)
{{indent|5}}(−<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>){{spaces|3}}(−<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>)
{{indent|17}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0, −1,{{spaces|2}}0)<br>
are two opposing central triangles on the ''y'' axis, with each triangle formed by the vertices in alternating rows. Unlike the hexagons, the {{sqrt|3}} triangles are not made of actual 24-cell edges, so they are invisible features of the 24-cell, like the {{sqrt|2}} squares.|name=central triangles|group=}}
Each great triangle is a ring linking three completely disjoint{{Efn|name=completely disjoint}} great squares. The 18 great squares of the 24-cell occur as three sets of 6 orthogonal great squares,{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}} each forming a [[16-cell]].{{Efn|name=three isoclinic 16-cells}} The three 16-cells are completely disjoint (and [[#Clifford parallel polytopes|Clifford parallel]]): each has its own 8 vertices (on 4 orthogonal axes) and its own 24 edges (of length {{radic|2}}). The 18 square great circles are crossed by 16 hexagonal great circles; each hexagon has one axis (2 vertices) in each 16-cell.{{Efn|name=non-orthogonal hexagons}} The two great triangles inscribed in each great hexagon (occupying its alternate vertices, and with edges that are its {{radic|3}} chords) have one vertex in each 16-cell. Thus ''each great triangle is a ring linking the three completely disjoint 16-cells''. There are four different ways (four different ''fibrations'' of the 24-cell) in which the 8 vertices of the 16-cells correspond by being triangles of vertices {{radic|3}} apart: there are 32 distinct linking triangles. Each ''pair'' of 16-cells forms an 8-cell (tesseract).{{Efn|name=three 16-cells form three tesseracts}} Each great triangle has one {{radic|3}} edge in each tesseract, so it is also a ring linking the three tesseracts.
== Hypercubic chords ==
[[File:24-cell vertex geometry.png|thumb|Vertex geometry of the radially equilateral 24-cell, showing the 3 great circle polygons and the 4 vertex-to-vertex chord lengths.|alt=]]
The 24 vertices of the 24-cell are distributed{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=298|loc=Table V: The Distribution of Vertices of Four-Dimensional Polytopes in Parallel Solid Sections (§13.1); (i) Sections of {3,4,3} (edge 2) beginning with a vertex; see column ''a''|5=}} at four different [[W:Chord (geometry)|chord]] lengths from each other: {{sqrt|1}}, {{sqrt|2}}, {{sqrt|3}} and {{sqrt|4}}. The {{sqrt|1}} chords (the 24-cell edges) are the edges of central hexagons, and the {{sqrt|3}} chords are the diagonals of central hexagons. The {{sqrt|2}} chords are the edges of central squares, and the {{sqrt|4}} chords are the diagonals of central squares.
Each vertex is joined to 8 others{{Efn|The 8 nearest neighbor vertices surround the vertex (in the curved 3-dimensional space of the 24-cell's boundary surface) the way a cube's 8 corners surround its center. (The [[W:Vertex figure|vertex figure]] of the 24-cell is a cube.)|name=8 nearest vertices}} by an edge of length 1, spanning 60° = <small>{{sfrac|{{pi}}|3}}</small> of arc. Next nearest are 6 vertices{{Efn|The 6 second-nearest neighbor vertices surround the vertex in curved 3-dimensional space the way an octahedron's 6 corners surround its center.|name=6 second-nearest vertices}} located 90° = <small>{{sfrac|{{pi}}|2}}</small> away, along an interior chord of length {{sqrt|2}}. Another 8 vertices lie 120° = <small>{{sfrac|2{{pi}}|3}}</small> away, along an interior chord of length {{sqrt|3}}.{{Efn|name=nearest isoclinic vertices are {{radic|3}} away in third surrounding shell}} The opposite vertex is 180° = <small>{{pi}}</small> away along a diameter of length 2. Finally, as the 24-cell is radially equilateral, its center is 1 edge length away from all vertices.
To visualize how the interior polytopes of the 24-cell fit together (as described [[#Constructions|below]]), keep in mind that the four chord lengths ({{sqrt|1}}, {{sqrt|2}}, {{sqrt|3}}, {{sqrt|4}}) are the long diameters of the [[W:Hypercube|hypercube]]s of dimensions 1 through 4: the long diameter of the square is {{sqrt|2}}; the long diameter of the cube is {{sqrt|3}}; and the long diameter of the tesseract is {{sqrt|4}}.{{Efn|Thus ({{sqrt|1}}, {{sqrt|2}}, {{sqrt|3}}, {{sqrt|4}}) are the vertex chord lengths of the tesseract as well as of the 24-cell. They are also the diameters of the tesseract (from short to long), though not of the 24-cell.}} Moreover, the long diameter of the octahedron is {{sqrt|2}} like the square; and the long diameter of the 24-cell itself is {{sqrt|4}} like the tesseract.
== Geodesics ==
The vertex chords of the 24-cell are arranged in [[W:Geodesic|geodesic]] [[W:great circle|great circle]] polygons.{{Efn|A geodesic great circle lies in a 2-dimensional plane which passes through the center of the polytope. Notice that in 4 dimensions this central plane does ''not'' bisect the polytope into two equal-sized parts, as it would in 3 dimensions, just as a diameter (a central line) bisects a circle but does not bisect a sphere. Another difference is that in 4 dimensions not all pairs of great circles intersect at two points, as they do in 3 dimensions; some pairs do, but some pairs of great circles are non-intersecting Clifford parallels.{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}}}} The [[W:Geodesic distance|geodesic distance]] between two 24-cell vertices along a path of {{sqrt|1}} edges is always 1, 2, or 3, and it is 3 only for opposite vertices.{{Efn|If the [[W:Euclidean distance|Pythagorean distance]] between any two vertices is {{sqrt|1}}, their geodesic distance is 1; they may be two adjacent vertices (in the curved 3-space of the surface), or a vertex and the center (in 4-space). If their Pythagorean distance is {{sqrt|2}}, their geodesic distance is 2 (whether via 3-space or 4-space, because the path along the edges is the same straight line with one 90<sup>o</sup> bend in it as the path through the center). If their Pythagorean distance is {{sqrt|3}}, their geodesic distance is still 2 (whether on a hexagonal great circle past one 60<sup>o</sup> bend, or as a straight line with one 60<sup>o</sup> bend in it through the center). Finally, if their Pythagorean distance is {{sqrt|4}}, their geodesic distance is still 2 in 4-space (straight through the center), but it reaches 3 in 3-space (by going halfway around a hexagonal great circle).|name=Geodesic distance}}
The {{sqrt|1}} edges occur in 16 [[#Great hexagons|hexagonal great circles]] (in planes inclined at 60 degrees to each other), 4 of which cross{{Efn|name=cuboctahedral hexagons}} at each vertex.{{Efn|Eight {{sqrt|1}} edges converge in curved 3-dimensional space from the corners of the 24-cell's cubical vertex figure{{Efn|The [[W:Vertex figure|vertex figure]] is the facet which is made by truncating a vertex; canonically, at the mid-edges incident to the vertex. But one can make similar vertex figures of different radii by truncating at any point along those edges, up to and including truncating at the adjacent vertices to make a ''full size'' vertex figure. Stillwell defines the vertex figure as "the convex hull of the neighbouring vertices of a given vertex".{{Sfn|Stillwell|2001|p=17}} That is what serves the illustrative purpose here.|name=full size vertex figure}} and meet at its center (the vertex), where they form 4 straight lines which cross there. The 8 vertices of the cube are the eight nearest other vertices of the 24-cell. The straight lines are geodesics: two {{sqrt|1}}-length segments of an apparently straight line (in the 3-space of the 24-cell's curved surface) that is bent in the 4th dimension into a great circle hexagon (in 4-space). Imagined from inside this curved 3-space, the bends in the hexagons are invisible. From outside (if we could view the 24-cell in 4-space), the straight lines would be seen to bend in the 4th dimension at the cube centers, because the center is displaced outward in the 4th dimension, out of the hyperplane defined by the cube's vertices. Thus the vertex cube is actually a [[W:Cubic pyramid|cubic pyramid]]. Unlike a cube, it seems to be radially equilateral (like the tesseract and the 24-cell itself): its "radius" equals its edge length.{{Efn|The cube is not radially equilateral in Euclidean 3-space <math>\mathbb{R}^3</math>, but a cubic pyramid is radially equilateral in the curved 3-space of the 24-cell's surface, the [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]] <math>\mathbb{S}^3</math>. In 4-space the 8 edges radiating from its apex are not actually its radii: the apex of the [[W:Cubic pyramid|cubic pyramid]] is not actually its center, just one of its vertices. But in curved 3-space the edges radiating symmetrically from the apex ''are'' radii, so the cube is radially equilateral ''in that curved 3-space'' <math>\mathbb{S}^3</math>. In Euclidean 4-space <math>\mathbb{R}^4</math> 24 edges radiating symmetrically from a central point make the radially equilateral 24-cell, and a symmetrical subset of 16 of those edges make the [[W:Tesseract#Radial equilateral symmetry|radially equilateral tesseract]].}}|name=24-cell vertex figure}} The 96 distinct {{sqrt|1}} edges divide the surface into 96 triangular faces and 24 octahedral cells: a 24-cell. The 16 hexagonal great circles can be divided into 4 sets of 4 non-intersecting [[W:Clifford parallel|Clifford parallel]] geodesics, such that only one hexagonal great circle in each set passes through each vertex, and the 4 hexagons in each set reach all 24 vertices.{{Efn|name=hexagonal fibrations}}
The {{sqrt|2}} chords occur in 18 [[#Great squares|square great circles]] (3 sets of 6 orthogonal planes{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}}), 3 of which cross at each vertex.{{Efn|Six {{sqrt|2}} chords converge in 3-space from the face centers of the 24-cell's cubical vertex figure{{Efn|name=full size vertex figure}} and meet at its center (the vertex), where they form 3 straight lines which cross there perpendicularly. The 8 vertices of the cube are the eight nearest other vertices of the 24-cell, and eight {{sqrt|1}} edges converge from there, but let us ignore them now, since 7 straight lines crossing at the center is confusing to visualize all at once. Each of the six {{sqrt|2}} chords runs from this cube's center (the vertex) through a face center to the center of an adjacent (face-bonded) cube, which is another vertex of the 24-cell: not a nearest vertex (at the cube corners), but one located 90° away in a second concentric shell of six {{sqrt|2}}-distant vertices that surrounds the first shell of eight {{sqrt|1}}-distant vertices. The face-center through which the {{sqrt|2}} chord passes is the mid-point of the {{sqrt|2}} chord, so it lies inside the 24-cell.|name=|group=}} The 72 distinct {{sqrt|2}} chords do not run in the same planes as the hexagonal great circles; they do not follow the 24-cell's edges, they pass through its octagonal cell centers.{{Efn|One can cut the 24-cell through 6 vertices (in any hexagonal great circle plane), or through 4 vertices (in any square great circle plane). One can see this in the [[W:Cuboctahedron|cuboctahedron]] (the central [[W:hyperplane|hyperplane]] of the 24-cell), where there are four hexagonal great circles (along the edges) and six square great circles (across the square faces diagonally).}} The 72 {{sqrt|2}} chords are the 3 orthogonal axes of the 24 octahedral cells, joining vertices which are 2 {{radic|1}} edges apart. The 18 square great circles can be divided into 3 sets of 6 non-intersecting Clifford parallel geodesics,{{Efn|[[File:Hopf band wikipedia.png|thumb|Two [[W:Clifford parallel|Clifford parallel]] [[W:Great circle|great circle]]s on the [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]] spanned by a twisted [[W:Annulus (mathematics)|annulus]]. They have a common center point in [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|4-dimensional Euclidean space]], and could lie in [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] rotation planes.]][[W:Clifford parallel|Clifford parallel]]s are non-intersecting curved lines that are parallel in the sense that the perpendicular (shortest) distance between them is the same at each point.{{Sfn|Tyrrell|Semple|1971|loc=§3. Clifford's original definition of parallelism|pp=5-6}} A double helix is an example of Clifford parallelism in ordinary 3-dimensional Euclidean space. In 4-space Clifford parallels occur as geodesic great circles on the [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]].{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|pp=8-10|loc=Relations to Clifford Parallelism}} Whereas in 3-dimensional space, any two geodesic great circles on the 2-sphere will always intersect at two antipodal points, in 4-dimensional space not all great circles intersect; various sets of Clifford parallel non-intersecting geodesic great circles can be found on the 3-sphere. Perhaps the simplest example is that six mutually orthogonal great circles can be drawn on the 3-sphere, as three pairs of completely orthogonal great circles.{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}} Each completely orthogonal pair is Clifford parallel. The two circles cannot intersect at all, because they lie in planes which intersect at only one point: the center of the 3-sphere.{{Efn|Each square plane is isoclinic (Clifford parallel) to five other square planes but [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] to only one of them.{{Efn|name=Clifford parallel squares in the 16-cell and 24-cell}} Every pair of completely orthogonal planes has Clifford parallel great circles, but not all Clifford parallel great circles are orthogonal (e.g., none of the hexagonal geodesics in the 24-cell are mutually orthogonal).|name=only some Clifford parallels are orthogonal}} Because they are perpendicular and share a common center,{{Efn|In 4-space, two great circles can be perpendicular and share a common center ''which is their only point of intersection'', because there is more than one great [[W:2-sphere|2-sphere]] on the [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]]. The dimensionally analogous structure to a [[W:Great circle|great circle]] (a great 1-sphere) is a great 2-sphere,{{Sfn|Stillwell|2001|p=24}} which is an ordinary sphere that constitutes an ''equator'' boundary dividing the 3-sphere into two equal halves, just as a great circle divides the 2-sphere. Although two Clifford parallel great circles{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} occupy the same 3-sphere, they lie on different great 2-spheres. The great 2-spheres are [[#Clifford parallel polytopes|Clifford parallel 3-dimensional objects]], displaced relative to each other by a fixed distance ''d'' in the fourth dimension. Their corresponding points (on their two surfaces) are ''d'' apart. The 2-spheres (by which we mean their surfaces) do not intersect at all, although they have a common center point in 4-space. The displacement ''d'' between a pair of their corresponding points is the [[#Geodesics|chord of a great circle]] which intersects both 2-spheres, so ''d'' can be represented equivalently as a linear chordal distance, or as an angular distance.|name=great 2-spheres}} the two circles are obviously not parallel and separate in the usual way of parallel circles in 3 dimensions; rather they are connected like adjacent links in a chain, each passing through the other without intersecting at any points, forming a [[W:Hopf link|Hopf link]].|name=Clifford parallels}} such that only one square great circle in each set passes through each vertex, and the 6 squares in each set reach all 24 vertices.{{Efn|name=square fibrations}}
The {{sqrt|3}} chords occur in 32 [[#Great triangles|triangular great circles]] in 16 planes, 4 of which cross at each vertex.{{Efn|Eight {{sqrt|3}} chords converge from the corners of the 24-cell's cubical vertex figure{{Efn|name=full size vertex figure}} and meet at its center (the vertex), where they form 4 straight lines which cross there. Each of the eight {{sqrt|3}} chords runs from this cube's center to the center of a diagonally adjacent (vertex-bonded) cube,{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}} which is another vertex of the 24-cell: one located 120° away in a third concentric shell of eight {{sqrt|3}}-distant vertices surrounding the second shell of six {{sqrt|2}}-distant vertices that surrounds the first shell of eight {{sqrt|1}}-distant vertices.|name=nearest isoclinic vertices are {{radic|3}} away in third surrounding shell}} The 96 distinct {{sqrt|3}} chords{{Efn|name=cube diagonals}} run vertex-to-every-other-vertex in the same planes as the hexagonal great circles.{{Efn|name=central triangles}} They are the 3 edges of the 32 great triangles inscribed in the 16 great hexagons, joining vertices which are 2 {{sqrt|1}} edges apart on a great circle.{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}}
The {{sqrt|4}} chords occur as 12 vertex-to-vertex diameters (3 sets of 4 orthogonal axes), the 24 radii around the 25th central vertex.
The sum of the squared lengths{{Efn|The sum of 1・96 + 2・72 + 3・96 + 4・12 is 576.}} of all these distinct chords of the 24-cell is 576 = 24<sup>2</sup>.{{Efn|The sum of the squared lengths of all the distinct chords of any regular convex n-polytope of unit radius is the square of the number of vertices.{{Sfn|Copher|2019|loc=§3.2 Theorem 3.4|p=6}}}} These are all the central polygons through vertices, but in 4-space there are geodesics on the 3-sphere which do not lie in central planes at all. There are geodesic shortest paths between two 24-cell vertices that are helical rather than simply circular; they correspond to diagonal [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotations]] rather than [[#Simple rotations|simple rotations]].{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}}
The {{sqrt|1}} edges occur in 48 parallel pairs, {{sqrt|3}} apart. The {{sqrt|2}} chords occur in 36 parallel pairs, {{sqrt|2}} apart. The {{sqrt|3}} chords occur in 48 parallel pairs, {{sqrt|1}} apart.{{Efn|Each pair of parallel {{sqrt|1}} edges joins a pair of parallel {{sqrt|3}} chords to form one of 48 rectangles (inscribed in the 16 central hexagons), and each pair of parallel {{sqrt|2}} chords joins another pair of parallel {{sqrt|2}} chords to form one of the 18 central squares.|name=|group=}}
The central planes of the 24-cell can be divided into 4 orthogonal central hyperplanes (3-spaces) each forming a [[W:Cuboctahedron|cuboctahedron]]. The great hexagons are 60 degrees apart; the great squares are 90 degrees or 60 degrees apart; a great square and a great hexagon are 90 degrees ''and'' 60 degrees apart.{{Efn|Two angles are required to fix the relative positions of two planes in 4-space.{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|p=7|loc=§6 Angles between two Planes in 4-Space|ps=; "In four (and higher) dimensions, we need two angles to fix the relative position between two planes. (More generally, ''k'' angles are defined between ''k''-dimensional subspaces.)".}} Since all planes in the same hyperplane{{Efn|One way to visualize the ''n''-dimensional [[W:Hyperplane|hyperplane]]s is as the ''n''-spaces which can be defined by ''n + 1'' points. A point is the 0-space which is defined by 1 point. A line is the 1-space which is defined by 2 points which are not coincident. A plane is the 2-space which is defined by 3 points which are not colinear (any triangle). In 4-space, a 3-dimensional hyperplane is the 3-space which is defined by 4 points which are not coplanar (any tetrahedron). In 5-space, a 4-dimensional hyperplane is the 4-space which is defined by 5 points which are not cocellular (any 5-cell). These [[W:Simplex|simplex]] figures divide the hyperplane into two parts (inside and outside the figure), but in addition they divide the enclosing space into two parts (above and below the hyperplane). The ''n'' points ''bound'' a finite simplex figure (from the outside), and they ''define'' an infinite hyperplane (from the inside).{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|loc=§7.2.|p=120|ps=: "... any ''n''+1 points which do not lie in an (''n''-1)-space are the vertices of an ''n''-dimensional ''simplex''.... Thus the general simplex may alternatively be defined as a finite region of ''n''-space enclosed by ''n''+1 ''hyperplanes'' or (''n''-1)-spaces."}} These two divisions are orthogonal, so the defining simplex divides space into six regions: inside the simplex and in the hyperplane, inside the simplex but above or below the hyperplane, outside the simplex but in the hyperplane, and outside the simplex above or below the hyperplane.|name=hyperplanes|group=}} are 0 degrees apart in one of the two angles, only one angle is required in 3-space. Great hexagons in different hyperplanes are 60 degrees apart in ''both'' angles. Great squares in different hyperplanes are 90 degrees apart in ''both'' angles ([[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]]) or 60 degrees apart in ''both'' angles.{{Efn||name=Clifford parallel squares in the 16-cell and 24-cell}} Planes which are separated by two equal angles are called ''isoclinic''. Planes which are isoclinic have [[W:Clifford parallel|Clifford parallel]] great circles.{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} A great square and a great hexagon in different hyperplanes ''may'' be isoclinic, but often they are separated by a 90 degree angle ''and'' a 60 degree angle.|name=two angles between central planes}} Each set of similar central polygons (squares or hexagons) can be divided into 4 sets of non-intersecting Clifford parallel polygons (of 6 squares or 4 hexagons).{{Efn|Each pair of Clifford parallel polygons lies in two different hyperplanes (cuboctahedrons). The 4 Clifford parallel hexagons lie in 4 different cuboctahedrons.}} Each set of Clifford parallel great circles is a parallel [[W:Hopf fibration|fiber bundle]] which visits all 24 vertices just once.
Each great circle intersects{{Efn|name=how planes intersect}} with the other great circles to which it is not Clifford parallel at one {{sqrt|4}} diameter of the 24-cell.{{Efn|Two intersecting great squares or great hexagons share two opposing vertices, but squares or hexagons on Clifford parallel great circles share no vertices. Two intersecting great triangles share only one vertex, since they lack opposing vertices.|name=how great circle planes intersect|group=}} Great circles which are [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] or otherwise Clifford parallel{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} do not intersect at all: they pass through disjoint sets of vertices.{{Efn|name=pairs of completely orthogonal planes}}
== Constructions ==
[[File:24-cell-3CP.gif|thumb|The 24-point 24-cell contains three 8-point 16-cells (red, green, and blue),{{Sfn|Egan|2019|ps=; Double-rotating 24-cell with orthogonal red, green and blue vertices.}} double-rotated by 60 degrees with respect to each other.{{Efn|name=three isoclinic 16-cells}} Each 8-point 16-cell is a coordinate system basis frame of four perpendicular (w,x,y,z) axes, just as a 6-point [[w:Octahedron|octahedron]] is a coordinate system basis frame of three perpendicular (x,y,z) axes.{{Efn|name=three basis 16-cells}} One octahedral cell of the 24 cells is emphasized. Each octahedral cell has two vertices of each color, delimiting an invisible perpendicular axis of the octahedron, which is a {{radic|2}} edge of the red, green, or blue 16-cell.{{Efn|name=octahedral diameters}}]]
Triangles and squares come together uniquely in the 24-cell to generate, as interior features,{{Efn|Interior features are not considered elements of the polytope. For example, the center of a 24-cell is a noteworthy feature (as are its long radii), but these interior features do not count as elements in [[#Configuration|its configuration matrix]], which counts only elementary features (which are not interior to any other feature including the polytope itself). Interior features are not rendered in most of the diagrams and illustrations in this article (they are normally invisible). In illustrations showing interior features, we always draw interior edges as dashed lines, to distinguish them from elementary edges.|name=interior features|group=}} all of the triangle-faced and square-faced regular convex polytopes in the first four dimensions (with caveats for the [[5-cell]] and the [[600-cell]]).{{Efn|The [[600-cell]] is larger than the 24-cell, and contains the 24-cell as an interior feature.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=153|loc=8.5. Gosset's construction for {3,3,5}|ps=: "In fact, the vertices of {3,3,5}, each taken 5 times, are the vertices of 25 {3,4,3}'s."}} The regular [[5-cell]] is not found in the interior of any convex regular 4-polytope except the [[120-cell]],{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=304|loc=Table VI(iv) II={5,3,3}|ps=: Faceting {5,3,3}[120𝛼<sub>4</sub>]{3,3,5} of the 120-cell reveals 120 regular 5-cells.}} though every convex 4-polytope can be [[#Characteristic orthoscheme|deconstructed into irregular 5-cells.]]|name=|group=}} Consequently, there are numerous ways to construct or deconstruct the 24-cell.
==== Reciprocal constructions from 8-cell and 16-cell ====
The 8 integer vertices (±1, 0, 0, 0) are the vertices of a regular [[16-cell]], and the 16 half-integer vertices (±{{sfrac|1|2}}, ±{{sfrac|1|2}}, ±{{sfrac|1|2}}, ±{{sfrac|1|2}}) are the vertices of its dual, the [[W:Tesseract|8-cell (tesseract)]].{{Sfn|Egan|2021|loc=animation of a rotating 24-cell|ps=: {{color|red}} half-integer vertices (tesseract), {{Font color|fg=yellow|bg=black|text=yellow}} and {{color|black}} integer vertices (16-cell).}} The tesseract gives Gosset's construction{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=150|loc=Gosset}} of the 24-cell, equivalent to cutting a tesseract into 8 [[W:Cubic pyramid|cubic pyramid]]s, and then attaching them to the facets of a second tesseract. The analogous construction in 3-space gives the [[W:Rhombic dodecahedron|rhombic dodecahedron]] which, however, is not regular.{{Efn|[[File:R1-cube.gif|thumb|150px|Construction of a [[W:Rhombic dodecahedron|rhombic dodecahedron]] from a cube.]]This animation shows the construction of a [[W:Rhombic dodecahedron|rhombic dodecahedron]] from a cube, by inverting the center-to-face pyramids of a cube. Gosset's construction of a 24-cell from a tesseract is the 4-dimensional analogue of this process, inverting the center-to-cell pyramids of an 8-cell (tesseract).{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=150|loc=Gosset}}|name=rhombic dodecahedron from a cube}} The 16-cell gives the reciprocal construction of the 24-cell, Cesaro's construction,{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=148|loc=§8.2. Cesaro's construction for {3, 4, 3}.}} equivalent to rectifying a 16-cell (truncating its corners at the mid-edges, as described [[#Great squares|above]]). The analogous construction in 3-space gives the [[W:Cuboctahedron|cuboctahedron]] (dual of the rhombic dodecahedron) which, however, is not regular. The tesseract and the 16-cell are the only regular 4-polytopes in the 24-cell.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=302|loc=Table VI(ii) II={3,4,3}, Result column}}
We can further divide the 16 half-integer vertices into two groups: those whose coordinates contain an even number of minus (−) signs and those with an odd number. Each of these groups of 8 vertices also define a regular 16-cell. This shows that the vertices of the 24-cell can be grouped into three disjoint sets of eight with each set defining a regular 16-cell, and with the complement defining the dual tesseract.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=149-150|loc=§8.22. see illustrations Fig. 8.2<small>A</small> and Fig 8.2<small>B</small>|p=|ps=}} This also shows that the symmetries of the 16-cell form a subgroup of index 3 of the symmetry group of the 24-cell.{{Efn|name=three 16-cells form three tesseracts}}
==== Diminishings ====
We can [[W:Faceting|facet]] the 24-cell by cutting{{Efn|We can cut a vertex off a polygon with a 0-dimensional cutting instrument (like the point of a knife, or the head of a zipper) by sweeping it along a 1-dimensional line, exposing a new edge. We can cut a vertex off a polyhedron with a 1-dimensional cutting edge (like a knife) by sweeping it through a 2-dimensional face plane, exposing a new face. We can cut a vertex off a polychoron (a 4-polytope) with a 2-dimensional cutting plane (like a snowplow), by sweeping it through a 3-dimensional cell volume, exposing a new cell. Notice that as within the new edge length of the polygon or the new face area of the polyhedron, every point within the new cell volume is now exposed on the surface of the polychoron.}} through interior cells bounded by vertex chords to remove vertices, exposing the [[W:Facet (geometry)|facets]] of interior 4-polytopes [[W:Inscribed figure|inscribed]] in the 24-cell. One can cut a 24-cell through any planar hexagon of 6 vertices, any planar rectangle of 4 vertices, or any triangle of 3 vertices. The great circle central planes ([[#Geodesics|above]]) are only some of those planes. Here we shall expose some of the others: the face planes{{Efn|Each cell face plane intersects with the other face planes of its kind to which it is not completely orthogonal or parallel at their characteristic vertex chord edge. Adjacent face planes of orthogonally-faced cells (such as cubes) intersect at an edge since they are not completely orthogonal.{{Efn|name=how planes intersect}} Although their dihedral angle is 90 degrees in the boundary 3-space, they lie in the same hyperplane{{Efn|name=hyperplanes}} (they are coincident rather than perpendicular in the fourth dimension); thus they intersect in a line, as non-parallel planes do in any 3-space.|name=how face planes intersect}} of interior polytopes.{{Efn|The only planes through exactly 6 vertices of the 24-cell (not counting the central vertex) are the '''16 hexagonal great circles'''. There are no planes through exactly 5 vertices. There are several kinds of planes through exactly 4 vertices: the 18 {{sqrt|2}} square great circles, the '''72 {{sqrt|1}} square (tesseract) faces''', and 144 {{sqrt|1}} by {{sqrt|2}} rectangles. The planes through exactly 3 vertices are the 96 {{sqrt|2}} equilateral triangle (16-cell) faces, and the '''96 {{sqrt|1}} equilateral triangle (24-cell) faces'''. There are an infinite number of central planes through exactly two vertices (great circle [[W:Digon|digon]]s); 16 are distinguished, as each is [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] to one of the 16 hexagonal great circles. '''Only the polygons composed of 24-cell {{radic|1}} edges are visible''' in the projections and rotating animations illustrating this article; the others contain invisible interior chords.{{Efn|name=interior features}}|name=planes through vertices|group=}}
===== 8-cell =====
Starting with a complete 24-cell, remove 8 orthogonal vertices (4 opposite pairs on 4 perpendicular axes), and the 8 edges which radiate from each, by cutting through 8 cubic cells bounded by {{sqrt|1}} edges to remove 8 [[W:Cubic pyramid|cubic pyramid]]s whose [[W:Apex (geometry)|apexes]] are the vertices to be removed. This removes 4 edges from each hexagonal great circle (retaining just one opposite pair of edges), so no continuous hexagonal great circles remain. Now 3 perpendicular edges meet and form the corner of a cube at each of the 16 remaining vertices,{{Efn|The 24-cell's cubical vertex figure{{Efn|name=full size vertex figure}} has been truncated to a tetrahedral vertex figure (see [[#Relationships among interior polytopes|Kepler's drawing]]). The vertex cube has vanished, and now there are only 4 corners of the vertex figure where before there were 8. Four tesseract edges converge from the tetrahedron vertices and meet at its center, where they do not cross (since the tetrahedron does not have opposing vertices).|name=|group=}} and the 32 remaining edges divide the surface into 24 square faces and 8 cubic cells: a [[W:Tesseract|tesseract]]. There are three ways you can do this (choose a set of 8 orthogonal vertices out of 24), so there are three such tesseracts inscribed in the 24-cell.{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}} They overlap with each other, but most of their element sets are disjoint: they share some vertex count, but no edge length, face area, or cell volume.{{Efn|name=vertex-bonded octahedra}} They do share 4-content, their common core.{{Efn||name=common core|group=}}
===== 16-cell =====
Starting with a complete 24-cell, remove the 16 vertices of a tesseract (retaining the 8 vertices you removed above), by cutting through 16 tetrahedral cells bounded by {{sqrt|2}} chords to remove 16 [[W:Tetrahedral pyramid|tetrahedral pyramid]]s whose apexes are the vertices to be removed. This removes 12 great squares (retaining just one orthogonal set) and all the {{sqrt|1}} edges, exposing {{sqrt|2}} chords as the new edges. Now the remaining 6 great squares cross perpendicularly, 3 at each of 8 remaining vertices,{{Efn|The 24-cell's cubical vertex figure{{Efn|name=full size vertex figure}} has been truncated to an octahedral vertex figure. The vertex cube has vanished, and now there are only 6 corners of the vertex figure where before there were 8. The 6 {{sqrt|2}} chords which formerly converged from cube face centers now converge from octahedron vertices; but just as before, they meet at the center where 3 straight lines cross perpendicularly. The octahedron vertices are located 90° away outside the vanished cube, at the new nearest vertices; before truncation those were 24-cell vertices in the second shell of surrounding vertices.|name=|group=}} and their 24 edges divide the surface into 32 triangular faces and 16 tetrahedral cells: a [[16-cell]]. There are three ways you can do this (remove 1 of 3 sets of tesseract vertices), so there are three such 16-cells inscribed in the 24-cell.{{Efn|name=three isoclinic 16-cells}} They overlap with each other, but all of their element sets are disjoint:{{Efn|name=completely disjoint}} they do not share any vertex count, edge length,{{Efn|name=root 2 chords}} or face area, but they do share cell volume. They also share 4-content, their common core.{{Efn||name=common core|group=}}
==== Tetrahedral constructions ====
The 24-cell can be constructed radially from 96 equilateral triangles of edge length {{sqrt|1}} which meet at the center of the polytope, each contributing two radii and an edge. They form 96 {{sqrt|1}} tetrahedra (each contributing one 24-cell face), all sharing the 25th central apex vertex. These form 24 octahedral pyramids (half-16-cells) with their apexes at the center.
The 24-cell can be constructed from 96 equilateral triangles of edge length {{sqrt|2}}, where the three vertices of each triangle are located 90° = <small>{{sfrac|{{pi}}|2}}</small> away from each other on the 3-sphere. They form 48 {{sqrt|2}}-edge tetrahedra (the cells of the [[#16-cell|three 16-cells]]), centered at the 24 mid-edge-radii of the 24-cell.{{Efn|Each of the 72 {{sqrt|2}} chords in the 24-cell is a face diagonal in two distinct cubical cells (of different 8-cells) and an edge of four tetrahedral cells (in just one 16-cell).|name=root 2 chords}}
The 24-cell can be constructed directly from its [[#Characteristic orthoscheme|characteristic simplex]] {{Coxeter–Dynkin diagram|node|3|node|4|node|3|node}}, the [[5-cell#Irregular 5-cells|irregular 5-cell]] which is the [[W:Fundamental region|fundamental region]] of its [[W:Coxeter group|symmetry group]] [[W:F4 polytope|F<sub>4</sub>]], by reflection of that 4-[[W:Orthoscheme|orthoscheme]] in its own cells (which are 3-orthoschemes).{{Efn|An [[W:Orthoscheme|orthoscheme]] is a [[W:chiral|chiral]] irregular [[W:Simplex|simplex]] with [[W:Right triangle|right triangle]] faces that is characteristic of some polytope if it will exactly fill that polytope with the reflections of itself in its own [[W:Facet (geometry)|facet]]s (its ''mirror walls''). Every regular polytope can be dissected radially into instances of its [[W:Orthoscheme#Characteristic simplex of the general regular polytope|characteristic orthoscheme]] surrounding its center. The characteristic orthoscheme has the shape described by the same [[W:Coxeter-Dynkin diagram|Coxeter-Dynkin diagram]] as the regular polytope without the ''generating point'' ring.|name=characteristic orthoscheme}}
==== Cubic constructions ====
The 24-cell is not only the 24-octahedral-cell, it is also the 24-cubical-cell, although the cubes are cells of the three 8-cells, not cells of the 24-cell, in which they are not volumetrically disjoint.
The 24-cell can be constructed from 24 cubes of its own edge length (three 8-cells).{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}} Each of the cubes is shared by 2 8-cells, each of the cubes' square faces is shared by 4 cubes (in 2 8-cells), each of the 96 edges is shared by 8 square faces (in 4 cubes in 2 8-cells), and each of the 96 vertices is shared by 16 edges (in 8 square faces in 4 cubes in 2 8-cells).
== Relationships among interior polytopes ==
The 24-cell, three tesseracts, and three 16-cells are deeply entwined around their common center, and intersect in a common core.{{Efn|A simple way of stating this relationship is that the common core of the {{radic|2}}-radius 4-polytopes is the unit-radius 24-cell. The common core of the 24-cell and its inscribed 8-cells and 16-cells is the unit-radius 24-cell's insphere-inscribed dual 24-cell of edge length and radius {{radic|1/2}}.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1995|p=29|loc=(Paper 3) ''Two aspects of the regular 24-cell in four dimensions''|ps=; "The common content of the 4-cube and the 16-cell is a smaller {3,4,3} whose vertices are the permutations of [(±{{sfrac|1|2}}, ±{{sfrac|1|2}}, 0, 0)]".}} Rectifying any of the three 16-cells reveals this smaller 24-cell, which has a 4-content of only 1/2 (1/4 that of the unit-radius 24-cell). Its vertices lie at the centers of the 24-cell's octahedral cells, which are also the centers of the tesseracts' square faces, and are also the centers of the 16-cells' edges.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=147|loc=§8.1 The simple truncations of the general regular polytope|ps=; "At a point of contact, [elements of a regular polytope and elements of its dual in which it is inscribed in some manner] lie in [[W:completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] subspaces of the tangent hyperplane to the sphere [of reciprocation], so their only common point is the point of contact itself....{{Efn|name=how planes intersect}} In fact, the [various] radii <sub>0</sub>𝑹, <sub>1</sub>𝑹, <sub>2</sub>𝑹, ... determine the polytopes ... whose vertices are the centers of elements 𝐈𝐈<sub>0</sub>, 𝐈𝐈<sub>1</sub>, 𝐈𝐈<sub>2</sub>, ... of the original polytope."}}|name=common core|group=}} The tesseracts and the 16-cells are rotated 60° isoclinically{{Efn|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} with respect to each other. This means that the corresponding vertices of two tesseracts or two 16-cells are {{radic|3}} (120°) apart.{{Efn|The 24-cell contains 3 distinct 8-cells (tesseracts), rotated 60° isoclinically with respect to each other. The corresponding vertices of two 8-cells are {{radic|3}} (120°) apart. Each 8-cell contains 8 cubical cells, and each cube contains four {{radic|3}} chords (its long diameters). The 8-cells are not completely disjoint (they share vertices),{{Efn|name=completely disjoint}} but each {{radic|3}} chord occurs as a cube long diameter in just one 8-cell. The {{radic|3}} chords joining the corresponding vertices of two 8-cells belong to the third 8-cell as cube diameters.{{Efn|name=nearest isoclinic vertices are {{radic|3}} away in third surrounding shell}}|name=three 8-cells}}
The tesseracts are inscribed in the 24-cell{{Efn|The 24 vertices of the 24-cell, each used twice, are the vertices of three 16-vertex tesseracts.|name=|group=}} such that their vertices and edges are exterior elements of the 24-cell, but their square faces and cubical cells lie inside the 24-cell (they are not elements of the 24-cell). The 16-cells are inscribed in the 24-cell{{Efn|The 24 vertices of the 24-cell, each used once, are the vertices of three 8-vertex 16-cells.{{Efn|name=three basis 16-cells}}|name=|group=}} such that only their vertices are exterior elements of the 24-cell: their edges, triangular faces, and tetrahedral cells lie inside the 24-cell. The interior{{Efn|The edges of the 16-cells are not shown in any of the renderings in this article; if we wanted to show interior edges, they could be drawn as dashed lines. The edges of the inscribed tesseracts are always visible, because they are also edges of the 24-cell.}} 16-cell edges have length {{sqrt|2}}.[[File:Kepler's tetrahedron in cube.png|thumb|Kepler's drawing of tetrahedra in the cube.{{Sfn|Kepler|1619|p=181}}]]
The 16-cells are also inscribed in the tesseracts: their {{sqrt|2}} edges are the face diagonals of the tesseract, and their 8 vertices occupy every other vertex of the tesseract. Each tesseract has two 16-cells inscribed in it (occupying the opposite vertices and face diagonals), so each 16-cell is inscribed in two of the three 8-cells.{{Sfn|van Ittersum|2020|loc=§4.2|pp=73-79}}{{Efn|name=three 16-cells form three tesseracts}} This is reminiscent of the way, in 3 dimensions, two opposing regular tetrahedra can be inscribed in a cube, as discovered by Kepler.{{Sfn|Kepler|1619|p=181}} In fact it is the exact dimensional analogy (the [[W:Demihypercube|demihypercube]]s), and the 48 tetrahedral cells are inscribed in the 24 cubical cells in just that way.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=269|loc=§14.32|ps=. "For instance, in the case of <math>\gamma_4[2\beta_4]</math>...."}}{{Efn|name=root 2 chords}}
The 24-cell encloses the three tesseracts within its envelope of octahedral facets, leaving 4-dimensional space in some places between its envelope and each tesseract's envelope of cubes. Each tesseract encloses two of the three 16-cells, leaving 4-dimensional space in some places between its envelope and each 16-cell's envelope of tetrahedra. Thus there are measurable{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=292-293|loc=Table I(ii): The sixteen regular polytopes {''p,q,r''} in four dimensions|ps=; An invaluable table providing all 20 metrics of each 4-polytope in edge length units. They must be algebraically converted to compare polytopes of the same radius.}} 4-dimensional interstices{{Efn|The 4-dimensional content of the unit edge length tesseract is 1 (by definition). The content of the unit edge length 24-cell is 2, so half its content is inside each tesseract, and half is between their envelopes. Each 16-cell (edge length {{sqrt|2}}) encloses a content of 2/3, leaving 1/3 of an enclosing tesseract between their envelopes.|name=|group=}} between the 24-cell, 8-cell and 16-cell envelopes. The shapes filling these gaps are [[W:Hyperpyramid|4-pyramids]], alluded to above.{{Efn|Between the 24-cell envelope and the 8-cell envelope, we have the 8 cubic pyramids of Gosset's construction. Between the 8-cell envelope and the 16-cell envelope, we have 16 right [[5-cell#Irregular 5-cell|tetrahedral pyramids]], with their apexes filling the corners of the tesseract.}}
== Boundary cells ==
Despite the 4-dimensional interstices between 24-cell, 8-cell and 16-cell envelopes, their 3-dimensional volumes overlap. The different envelopes are separated in some places, and in contact in other places (where no 4-pyramid lies between them). Where they are in contact, they merge and share cell volume: they are the same 3-membrane in those places, not two separate but adjacent 3-dimensional layers.{{Efn|Because there are three overlapping tesseracts inscribed in the 24-cell,{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}} each octahedral cell lies ''on'' a cubic cell of one tesseract (in the cubic pyramid based on the cube, but not in the cube's volume), and ''in'' two cubic cells of each of the other two tesseracts (cubic cells which it spans, sharing their volume).{{Efn|name=octahedral diameters}}|name=octahedra both on and in cubes}} Because there are a total of 7 envelopes, there are places where several envelopes come together and merge volume, and also places where envelopes interpenetrate (cross from inside to outside each other).
Some interior features lie within the 3-space of the (outer) boundary envelope of the 24-cell itself: each octahedral cell is bisected by three perpendicular squares (one from each of the tesseracts), and the diagonals of those squares (which cross each other perpendicularly at the center of the octahedron) are 16-cell edges (one from each 16-cell). Each square bisects an octahedron into two square pyramids, and also bonds two adjacent cubic cells of a tesseract together as their common face.{{Efn|Consider the three perpendicular {{sqrt|2}} long diameters of the octahedral cell.{{Sfn|van Ittersum|2020|p=79}} Each of them is an edge of a different 16-cell. Two of them are the face diagonals of the square face between two cubes; each is a {{sqrt|2}} chord that connects two vertices of those 8-cell cubes across a square face, connects two vertices of two 16-cell tetrahedra (inscribed in the cubes), and connects two opposite vertices of a 24-cell octahedron (diagonally across two of the three orthogonal square central sections).{{Efn|name=root 2 chords}} The third perpendicular long diameter of the octahedron does exactly the same (by symmetry); so it also connects two vertices of a pair of cubes across their common square face: but a different pair of cubes, from one of the other tesseracts in the 24-cell.{{Efn|name=vertex-bonded octahedra}}|name=octahedral diameters}}
As we saw [[#Relationships among interior polytopes|above]], 16-cell {{sqrt|2}} tetrahedral cells are inscribed in tesseract {{sqrt|1}} cubic cells, sharing the same volume. 24-cell {{sqrt|1}} octahedral cells overlap their volume with {{sqrt|1}} cubic cells: they are bisected by a square face into two square pyramids,{{sfn|Coxeter|1973|page=150|postscript=: "Thus the 24 cells of the {3, 4, 3} are dipyramids based on the 24 squares of the <math>\gamma_4</math>. (Their centres are the mid-points of the 24 edges of the <math>\beta_4</math>.)"}} the apexes of which also lie at a vertex of a cube.{{Efn|This might appear at first to be angularly impossible, and indeed it would be in a flat space of only three dimensions. If two cubes rest face-to-face in an ordinary 3-dimensional space (e.g. on the surface of a table in an ordinary 3-dimensional room), an octahedron will fit inside them such that four of its six vertices are at the four corners of the square face between the two cubes; but then the other two octahedral vertices will not lie at a cube corner (they will fall within the volume of the two cubes, but not at a cube vertex). In four dimensions, this is no less true! The other two octahedral vertices do ''not'' lie at a corner of the adjacent face-bonded cube in the same tesseract. However, in the 24-cell there is not just one inscribed tesseract (of 8 cubes), there are three overlapping tesseracts (of 8 cubes each). The other two octahedral vertices ''do'' lie at the corner of a cube: but a cube in another (overlapping) tesseract.{{Efn|name=octahedra both on and in cubes}}}} The octahedra share volume not only with the cubes, but with the tetrahedra inscribed in them; thus the 24-cell, tesseracts, and 16-cells all share some boundary volume.{{Efn|name=octahedra both on and in cubes}}
== Radially equilateral honeycomb ==
The dual tessellation of the [[W:24-cell honeycomb|24-cell honeycomb {3,4,3,3}]] is the [[W:16-cell honeycomb|16-cell honeycomb {3,3,4,3}]]. The third regular tessellation of four dimensional space is the [[W:Tesseractic honeycomb|tesseractic honeycomb {4,3,3,4}]], whose vertices can be described by 4-integer Cartesian coordinates.{{Efn|name=quaternions}} The congruent relationships among these three tessellations can be helpful in visualizing the 24-cell, in particular the radial equilateral symmetry which it shares with the tesseract.
A honeycomb of unit edge length 24-cells may be overlaid on a honeycomb of unit edge length tesseracts such that every vertex of a tesseract (every 4-integer coordinate) is also the vertex of a 24-cell (and tesseract edges are also 24-cell edges), and every center of a 24-cell is also the center of a tesseract.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=163|ps=: Coxeter notes that [[W:Thorold Gosset|Thorold Gosset]] was apparently the first to see that the cells of the 24-cell honeycomb {3,4,3,3} are concentric with alternate cells of the tesseractic honeycomb {4,3,3,4}, and that this observation enabled Gosset's method of construction of the complete set of regular polytopes and honeycombs.}} The 24-cells are twice as large as the tesseracts by 4-dimensional content (hypervolume), so overall there are two tesseracts for every 24-cell, only half of which are inscribed in a 24-cell. If those tesseracts are colored black, and their adjacent tesseracts (with which they share a cubical facet) are colored red, a 4-dimensional checkerboard results.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=156|loc=|ps=: "...the chess-board has an n-dimensional analogue."}} Of the 24 center-to-vertex radii{{Efn|It is important to visualize the radii only as invisible interior features of the 24-cell (dashed lines), since they are not edges of the honeycomb. Similarly, the center of the 24-cell is empty (not a vertex of the honeycomb).}} of each 24-cell, 16 are also the radii of a black tesseract inscribed in the 24-cell. The other 8 radii extend outside the black tesseract (through the centers of its cubical facets) to the centers of the 8 adjacent red tesseracts. Thus the 24-cell honeycomb and the tesseractic honeycomb coincide in a special way: 8 of the 24 vertices of each 24-cell do not occur at a vertex of a tesseract (they occur at the center of a tesseract instead). Each black tesseract is cut from a 24-cell by truncating it at these 8 vertices, slicing off 8 cubic pyramids (as in reversing Gosset's construction,{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=150|loc=Gosset}} but instead of being removed the pyramids are simply colored red and left in place). Eight 24-cells meet at the center of each red tesseract: each one meets its opposite at that shared vertex, and the six others at a shared octahedral cell. <!-- illustration needed: the red/black checkerboard of the combined 24-cell honeycomb and tesseractic honeycomb; use a vertex-first projection of the 24-cells, and outline the edges of the rhombic dodecahedra as blue lines -->
The red tesseracts are filled cells (they contain a central vertex and radii); the black tesseracts are empty cells. The vertex set of this union of two honeycombs includes the vertices of all the 24-cells and tesseracts, plus the centers of the red tesseracts. Adding the 24-cell centers (which are also the black tesseract centers) to this honeycomb yields a 16-cell honeycomb, the vertex set of which includes all the vertices and centers of all the 24-cells and tesseracts. The formerly empty centers of adjacent 24-cells become the opposite vertices of a unit edge length 16-cell. 24 half-16-cells (octahedral pyramids) meet at each formerly empty center to fill each 24-cell, and their octahedral bases are the 6-vertex octahedral facets of the 24-cell (shared with an adjacent 24-cell).{{Efn|Unlike the 24-cell and the tesseract, the 16-cell is not radially equilateral; therefore 16-cells of two different sizes (unit edge length versus unit radius) occur in the unit edge length honeycomb. The twenty-four 16-cells that meet at the center of each 24-cell have unit edge length, and radius {{sfrac|{{radic|2}}|2}}. The three 16-cells inscribed in each 24-cell have edge length {{radic|2}}, and unit radius.}}
Notice the complete absence of pentagons anywhere in this union of three honeycombs. Like the 24-cell, 4-dimensional Euclidean space itself is entirely filled by a complex of all the polytopes that can be built out of regular triangles and squares (except the 5-cell), but that complex does not require (or permit) any of the pentagonal polytopes.{{Efn|name=pentagonal polytopes}}
== Rotations ==
The [[#The 24-cell in the proper sequence of 4-polytopes|regular convex 4-polytopes]] are an [[W:Group action|expression]] of their underlying [[W:Symmetry (geometry)|symmetry]] which is known as [[W:SO(4)|SO(4)]],{{Sfn|Goucher|2019|loc=Spin Groups}} the [[W:Orthogonal group|group]] of rotations{{Sfn|Mamone|Pileio|Levitt|2010|loc=§4.5 Regular Convex 4-Polytopes|pp=1438-1439|ps=; the 24-cell has 1152 symmetry operations (rotations and reflections) as enumerated in Table 2, symmetry group 𝐹<sub>4</sub>.}} about a fixed point in 4-dimensional Euclidean space.{{Efn|[[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space]] may occur around a plane, as when adjacent cells are folded around their plane of intersection (by analogy to the way adjacent faces are folded around their line of intersection).{{Efn|Three dimensional [[W:Rotation (mathematics)#In Euclidean geometry|rotations]] occur around an axis line. [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|Four dimensional rotations]] may occur around a plane. So in three dimensions we may fold planes around a common line (as when folding a flat net of 6 squares up into a cube), and in four dimensions we may fold cells around a common plane (as when [[W:Tesseract#Geometry|folding a flat net of 8 cubes up into a tesseract]]). Folding around a square face is just folding around ''two'' of its orthogonal edges ''at the same time''; there is not enough space in three dimensions to do this, just as there is not enough space in two dimensions to fold around a line (only enough to fold around a point).|name=simple rotations|group=}} But in four dimensions there is yet another way in which rotations can occur, called a '''[[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Geometry of 4D rotations|double rotation]]'''. Double rotations are an emergent phenomenon in the fourth dimension and have no analogy in three dimensions: folding up square faces and folding up cubical cells are both examples of '''simple rotations''', the only kind that occur in fewer than four dimensions. In 3-dimensional rotations, the points in a line remain fixed during the rotation, while every other point moves. In 4-dimensional simple rotations, the points in a plane remain fixed during the rotation, while every other point moves. ''In 4-dimensional double rotations, a point remains fixed during rotation, and every other point moves'' (as in a 2-dimensional rotation!).{{Efn|There are (at least) two kinds of correct [[W:Four-dimensional space#Dimensional analogy|dimensional analogies]]: the usual kind between dimension ''n'' and dimension ''n'' + 1, and the much rarer and less obvious kind between dimension ''n'' and dimension ''n'' + 2. An example of the latter is that rotations in 4-space may take place around a single point, as do rotations in 2-space. Another is the [[W:n-sphere#Other relations|''n''-sphere rule]] that the ''surface area'' of the sphere embedded in ''n''+2 dimensions is exactly 2''π r'' times the ''volume'' enclosed by the sphere embedded in ''n'' dimensions, the most well-known examples being that the circumference of a circle is 2''π r'' times 1, and the surface area of the ordinary sphere is 2''π r'' times 2''r''. Coxeter cites{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=119|loc=§7.1. Dimensional Analogy|ps=: "For instance, seeing that the circumference of a circle is 2''π r'', while the surface of a sphere is 4''π r ''<sup>2</sup>, ... it is unlikely that the use of analogy, unaided by computation, would ever lead us to the correct expression [for the hyper-surface of a hyper-sphere], 2''π'' <sup>2</sup>''r'' <sup>3</sup>."}} this as an instance in which dimensional analogy can fail us as a method, but it is really our failure to recognize whether a one- or two-dimensional analogy is the appropriate method.|name=two-dimensional analogy}}|name=double rotations}}
=== The 3 Cartesian bases of the 24-cell ===
There are three distinct orientations of the tesseractic honeycomb which could be made to coincide with the 24-cell [[#Radially equilateral honeycomb|honeycomb]], depending on which of the 24-cell's three disjoint sets of 8 orthogonal vertices (which set of 4 perpendicular axes, or equivalently, which inscribed basis 16-cell){{Efn|name=three basis 16-cells}} was chosen to align it, just as three tesseracts can be inscribed in the 24-cell, rotated with respect to each other.{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}} The distance from one of these orientations to another is an [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]] through 60 degrees (a [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Double rotations|double rotation]] of 60 degrees in each pair of completely orthogonal invariant planes, around a single fixed point).{{Efn|name=Clifford displacement}} This rotation can be seen most clearly in the hexagonal central planes, where every hexagon rotates to change which of its three diameters is aligned with a coordinate system axis.{{Efn|name=non-orthogonal hexagons|group=}}
=== Planes of rotation ===
[[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space]] can be seen as the composition of two 2-dimensional rotations in completely orthogonal planes.{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|p=6|loc=§5. Four-Dimensional Rotations}} Thus the general rotation in 4-space is a ''double rotation''.{{Sfn|Perez-Gracia|Thomas|2017|loc=§7. Conclusions|ps=; "Rotations in three dimensions are determined by a rotation axis and the rotation angle about it, where the rotation axis is perpendicular to the plane in which points are being rotated. The situation in four dimensions is more complicated. In this case, rotations are determined by two orthogonal planes
and two angles, one for each plane. Cayley proved that a general 4D rotation can always be decomposed into two 4D rotations, each of them being determined by two equal rotation angles up to a sign change."}} There are two important special cases, called a ''simple rotation'' and an ''isoclinic rotation''.{{Efn|A [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|rotation in 4-space]] is completely characterized by choosing an invariant plane and an angle and direction (left or right) through which it rotates, and another angle and direction through which its one completely orthogonal invariant plane rotates. Two rotational displacements are identical if they have the same pair of invariant planes of rotation, through the same angles in the same directions (and hence also the same chiral pairing of directions). Thus the general rotation in 4-space is a '''double rotation''', characterized by ''two'' angles. A '''simple rotation''' is a special case in which one rotational angle is 0.{{Efn|Any double rotation (including an isoclinic rotation) can be seen as the composition of two simple rotations ''a'' and ''b'': the ''left'' double rotation as ''a'' then ''b'', and the ''right'' double rotation as ''b'' then ''a''. Simple rotations are not commutative; left and right rotations (in general) reach different destinations. The difference between a double rotation and its two composing simple rotations is that the double rotation is 4-dimensionally diagonal: each moving vertex reaches its destination ''directly'' without passing through the intermediate point touched by ''a'' then ''b'', or the other intermediate point touched by ''b'' then ''a'', by rotating on a single helical geodesic (so it is the shortest path).{{Efn|name=helical geodesic}} Conversely, any simple rotation can be seen as the composition of two ''equal-angled'' double rotations (a left isoclinic rotation and a right isoclinic rotation),{{Efn|name=one true circle}} as discovered by [[W:Arthur Cayley|Cayley]]; perhaps surprisingly, this composition ''is'' commutative, and is possible for any double rotation as well.{{Sfn|Perez-Gracia|Thomas|2017}}|name=double rotation}} An '''isoclinic rotation''' is a different special case,{{Efn|name=Clifford displacement}} similar but not identical to two simple rotations through the ''same'' angle.{{Efn|name=plane movement in rotations}}|name=identical rotations}}
==== Simple rotations ====
[[Image:24-cell.gif|thumb|A 3D projection of a 24-cell performing a [[W:SO(4)#Geometry of 4D rotations|simple rotation]].{{Sfn|Hise|2011|ps=; Illustration created by Jason Hise with Maya and Macromedia Fireworks.}}]]In 3 dimensions a spinning polyhedron has a single invariant central ''plane of rotation''. The plane is an [[W:Invariant set|invariant set]] because each point in the plane moves in a circle but stays within the plane. Only ''one'' of a polyhedron's central planes can be invariant during a particular rotation; the choice of invariant central plane, and the angular distance and direction it is rotated, completely specifies the rotation. Points outside the invariant plane also move in circles (unless they are on the fixed ''axis of rotation'' perpendicular to the invariant plane), but the circles do not lie within a [[#Geodesics|''central'' plane]].
When a 4-polytope is rotating with only one invariant central plane, the same kind of [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Simple rotations|simple rotation]] is happening that occurs in 3 dimensions. One difference is that instead of a fixed axis of rotation, there is an entire fixed central plane in which the points do not move. The fixed plane is the one central plane that is [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]]{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}} to the invariant plane of rotation. In the 24-cell, there is a simple rotation which will take any vertex ''directly'' to any other vertex, also moving most of the other vertices but leaving at least 2 and at most 6 other vertices fixed (the vertices that the fixed central plane intersects). The vertex moves along a great circle in the invariant plane of rotation between adjacent vertices of a great hexagon, a great square or a great [[W:Digon|digon]], and the completely orthogonal fixed plane is a digon, a square or a hexagon, respectively.{{Efn|In the 24-cell each great square plane is [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] to another great square plane, and each great hexagon plane is completely orthogonal to a plane which intersects only two antipodal vertices: a great [[W:Digon|digon]] plane.|name=pairs of completely orthogonal planes}}
==== Double rotations ====
[[Image:24-cell-orig.gif|thumb|A 3D projection of a 24-cell performing a [[W:SO(4)#Geometry of 4D rotations|double rotation]].{{Sfn|Hise|2007|ps=; Illustration created by Jason Hise with Maya and Macromedia Fireworks.}}]]The points in the completely orthogonal central plane are not ''constrained'' to be fixed. It is also possible for them to be rotating in circles, as a second invariant plane, at a rate independent of the first invariant plane's rotation: a [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Double rotations|double rotation]] in two perpendicular non-intersecting planes{{Efn|name=how planes intersect at a single point}} of rotation at once.{{Efn|name=double rotation}} In a double rotation there is no fixed plane or axis: every point moves except the center point. The angular distance rotated may be different in the two completely orthogonal central planes, but they are always both invariant: their circularly moving points remain within the plane ''as the whole plane tilts sideways'' in the completely orthogonal rotation. A rotation in 4-space always has (at least) ''two'' completely orthogonal invariant planes of rotation, although in a simple rotation the angle of rotation in one of them is 0.
Double rotations come in two [[W:Chiral|chiral]] forms: ''left'' and ''right'' rotations.{{Efn|The adjectives ''left'' and ''right'' are commonly used in two different senses, to distinguish two distinct kinds of pairing. They can refer to alternate directions: the hand on the left side of the body, versus the hand on the right side. Or they can refer to a [[W:Chiral|chiral]] pair of enantiomorphous objects: a left hand is the mirror image of a right hand (like an inside-out glove). In the case of hands the sense intended is rarely ambiguous, because of course the hand on your left side ''is'' the mirror image of the hand on your right side: a hand is either left ''or'' right in both senses. But in the case of double-rotating 4-dimensional objects, only one sense of left versus right properly applies: the enantiomorphous sense, in which the left and right rotation are inside-out mirror images of each other. There ''are'' two directions, which we may call positive and negative, in which moving vertices may be circling on their isoclines, but it would be ambiguous to label those circular directions "right" and "left", since a rotation's direction and its chirality are independent properties: a right (or left) rotation may be circling in either the positive or negative direction. The left rotation is not rotating "to the left", the right rotation is not rotating "to the right", and unlike your left and right hands, double rotations do not lie on the left or right side of the 4-polytope. If double rotations must be analogized to left and right hands, they are better thought of as a pair of clasped hands, centered on the body, because of course they have a common center.|name=clasped hands}} In a double rotation each vertex moves in a spiral along two orthogonal great circles at once.{{Efn|In a double rotation each vertex can be said to move along two completely orthogonal great circles at the same time, but it does not stay within the central plane of either of those original great circles; rather, it moves along a helical geodesic that traverses diagonally between great circles. The two completely orthogonal planes of rotation are said to be ''invariant'' because the points in each stay in their places in the plane ''as the plane moves'', rotating ''and'' tilting sideways by the angle that the ''other'' plane rotates.|name=helical geodesic}} Either the path is right-hand [[W:Screw thread#Handedness|threaded]] (like most screws and bolts), moving along the circles in the "same" directions, or it is left-hand threaded (like a reverse-threaded bolt), moving along the circles in what we conventionally say are "opposite" directions (according to the [[W:Right hand rule|right hand rule]] by which we conventionally say which way is "up" on each of the 4 coordinate axes).{{Sfn|Perez-Gracia|Thomas|2017|loc=§5. A useful mapping|pp=12−13}}
In double rotations of the 24-cell that take vertices to vertices, one invariant plane of rotation contains either a great hexagon, a great square, or only an axis (two vertices, a great digon). The completely orthogonal invariant plane of rotation will necessarily contain a great digon, a great square, or a great hexagon, respectively. The selection of an invariant plane of rotation, a rotational direction and angle through which to rotate it, and a rotational direction and angle through which to rotate its completely orthogonal plane, completely determines the nature of the rotational displacement. In the 24-cell there are several noteworthy kinds of double rotation permitted by these parameters.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1995|loc=(Paper 3) ''Two aspects of the regular 24-cell in four dimensions''|pp=30-32|ps=; §3. The Dodecagonal Aspect;{{Efn|name=Petrie dodecagram and Clifford hexagram}} Coxeter considers the 150°/30° double rotation of period 12 which locates 12 of the 225 distinct 24-cells inscribed in the [[120-cell]], a regular 4-polytope with 120 dodecahedral cells that is the convex hull of the compound of 25 disjoint 24-cells.}}
==== Isoclinic rotations ====
When the angles of rotation in the two completely orthogonal invariant planes are exactly the same, a [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Special property of SO(4) among rotation groups in general|remarkably symmetric]] [[W:Geometric transformation|transformation]] occurs:{{Sfn|Perez-Gracia|Thomas|2017|loc=§2. Isoclinic rotations|pp=2−3}} all the great circle planes Clifford parallel{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} to the pair of invariant planes become pairs of invariant planes of rotation themselves, through that same angle, and the 4-polytope rotates [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinically]] in many directions at once.{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|loc=§6. Angles between two Planes in 4-Space|pp=7-10}} Each vertex moves an equal distance in four orthogonal directions at the same time.{{Efn|In an [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]], each point anywhere in the 4-polytope moves an equal distance in four orthogonal directions at once, on a [[W:8-cell#Radial equilateral symmetry|4-dimensional diagonal]]. The point is displaced a total [[W:Pythagorean distance|Pythagorean distance]] equal to the square root of four times the square of that distance. (In the 4-dimensional case, the orthogonal distance equals half the total Pythagorean distance.) All vertices are displaced to a vertex more than one edge length away.{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}} For example, when the unit-radius 24-cell rotates isoclinically 60° in a hexagon invariant plane and 60° in its completely orthogonal invariant plane,{{Efn|name=pairs of completely orthogonal planes}} each vertex is displaced to another vertex {{radic|3}} (120°) away, moving {{radic|3/4}} ≈ 0.866 (half the {{radic|3}} chord length) in four orthogonal directions.{{Efn|{{radic|3/4}} ≈ 0.866 is the long radius of the {{radic|2}}-edge regular tetrahedron (the unit-radius 16-cell's cell). Those four tetrahedron radii are not orthogonal, and they radiate symmetrically compressed into 3 dimensions (not 4). The four orthogonal {{radic|3/4}} ≈ 0.866 displacements summing to a 120° degree displacement in the 24-cell's characteristic isoclinic rotation{{Efn|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} are not as easy to visualize as radii, but they can be imagined as successive orthogonal steps in a path extending in all 4 dimensions, along the orthogonal edges of a [[5-cell#Orthoschemes|4-orthoscheme]]. In an actual left (or right) isoclinic rotation the four orthogonal {{radic|3/4}} ≈ 0.866 steps of each 120° displacement are concurrent, not successive, so they ''are'' actually symmetrical radii in 4 dimensions. In fact they are four orthogonal [[#Characteristic orthoscheme|mid-edge radii of a unit-radius 24-cell]] centered at the rotating vertex. Finally, in 2 dimensional units, {{radic|3/4}} ≈ 0.866 is the area of the equilateral triangle face of the unit-edge, unit-radius 24-cell. The area of the radial equilateral triangles in a unit-radius radially equilateral polytope is {{radic|3/4}} ≈ 0.866.|name=root 3/4}}|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} In the 24-cell any isoclinic rotation through 60 degrees in a hexagonal plane takes each vertex to a vertex two edge lengths away, rotates ''all 16'' hexagons by 60 degrees, and takes ''every'' great circle polygon (square,{{Efn|In the [[16-cell#Rotations|16-cell]] the 6 orthogonal great squares form 3 pairs of completely orthogonal great circles; each pair is Clifford parallel. In the 24-cell, the 3 inscribed 16-cells lie rotated 60 degrees isoclinically{{Efn|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} with respect to each other; consequently their corresponding vertices are 120 degrees apart on a hexagonal great circle. Pairing their vertices which are 90 degrees apart reveals corresponding square great circles which are Clifford parallel. Each of the 18 square great circles is Clifford parallel not only to one other square great circle in the same 16-cell (the completely orthogonal one), but also to two square great circles (which are completely orthogonal to each other) in each of the other two 16-cells. (Completely orthogonal great circles are Clifford parallel, but not all Clifford parallels are orthogonal.{{Efn|name=only some Clifford parallels are orthogonal}}) A 60 degree isoclinic rotation of the 24-cell in hexagonal invariant planes takes each square great circle to a Clifford parallel (but non-orthogonal) square great circle in a different 16-cell.|name=Clifford parallel squares in the 16-cell and 24-cell}} hexagon or triangle) to a Clifford parallel great circle polygon of the same kind 120 degrees away. An isoclinic rotation is also called a ''Clifford displacement'', after its [[W:William Kingdon Clifford|discoverer]].{{Efn|In a ''[[W:William Kingdon Clifford|Clifford]] displacement'', also known as an [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]], all the Clifford parallel{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} invariant planes are displaced in four orthogonal directions at once: they are rotated by the same angle, and at the same time they are tilted ''sideways'' by that same angle in the completely orthogonal rotation.{{Efn|name=one true circle}} A [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Isoclinic rotations|Clifford displacement]] is [[W:8-cell#Radial equilateral symmetry|4-dimensionally diagonal]].{{Efn|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} Every plane that is Clifford parallel to one of the completely orthogonal planes (including in this case an entire Clifford parallel bundle of 4 hexagons, but not all 16 hexagons) is invariant under the isoclinic rotation: all the points in the plane rotate in circles but remain in the plane, even as the whole plane tilts sideways.{{Efn|name=plane movement in rotations}} All 16 hexagons rotate by the same angle (though only 4 of them do so invariantly). All 16 hexagons are rotated by 60 degrees, and also displaced sideways by 60 degrees to a Clifford parallel hexagon 120 degrees away. All of the other central polygons (e.g. squares) are also displaced to a Clifford parallel polygon 120 degrees away.|name=Clifford displacement}}
The 24-cell in the ''double'' rotation animation appears to turn itself inside out.{{Efn|That a double rotation can turn a 4-polytope inside out is even more noticeable in the [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Double rotations|tesseract double rotation]].}} It appears to, because it actually does, reversing the [[W:Chirality|chirality]] of the whole 4-polytope just the way your bathroom mirror reverses the chirality of your image by a 180 degree reflection. Each 360 degree isoclinic rotation is as if the 24-cell surface had been stripped off like a glove and turned inside out, making a right-hand glove into a left-hand glove (or vice versa).{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=141|loc=§7.x. Historical remarks|ps=; "[[W:August Ferdinand Möbius|Möbius]] realized, as early as 1827, that a four-dimensional rotation would be required to bring two enantiomorphous solids into coincidence. This idea was neatly deployed by [[W:H. G. Wells|H. G. Wells]] in ''The Plattner Story''."}}
In a simple rotation of the 24-cell in a hexagonal plane, each vertex in the plane rotates first along an edge to an adjacent vertex 60 degrees away. But in an isoclinic rotation in ''two'' completely orthogonal planes one of which is a great hexagon,{{Efn|name=pairs of completely orthogonal planes}} each vertex rotates first to a vertex ''two'' edge lengths away ({{radic|3}} and 120° distant). The double 60-degree rotation's helical geodesics pass through every other vertex, missing the vertices in between.{{Efn|In an isoclinic rotation vertices move diagonally, like the [[W:bishop (chess)|bishop]]s in [[W:Chess|chess]]. Vertices in an isoclinic rotation ''cannot'' reach their orthogonally nearest neighbor vertices{{Efn|name=8 nearest vertices}} by double-rotating directly toward them (and also orthogonally to that direction), because that double rotation takes them diagonally between their nearest vertices, missing them, to a vertex farther away in a larger-radius surrounding shell of vertices,{{Efn|name=nearest isoclinic vertices are {{radic|3}} away in third surrounding shell}} the way bishops are confined to the white or black squares of the [[W:Chessboard|chessboard]] and cannot reach squares of the opposite color, even those immediately adjacent.{{Efn|Isoclinic rotations{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} partition the 24 cells (and the 24 vertices) of the 24-cell into two disjoint subsets of 12 cells (and 12 vertices), even and odd (or black and white), which shift places among themselves, in a manner dimensionally analogous to the way the [[W:Bishop (chess)|bishops]]' diagonal moves{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}} restrict them to the black or white squares of the [[W:Chessboard|chessboard]].{{Efn|Left and right isoclinic rotations partition the 24 cells (and 24 vertices) into black and white in the same way.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=156|loc=|ps=: "...the chess-board has an n-dimensional analogue."}} The rotations of all fibrations of the same kind of great polygon use the same chessboard, which is a convention of the coordinate system based on even and odd coordinates. ''Left and right are not colors:'' in either a left (or right) rotation half the moving vertices are black, running along black isoclines through black vertices, and the other half are white vertices, also rotating among themselves.{{Efn|Chirality and even/odd parity are distinct flavors. Things which have even/odd coordinate parity are '''''black or white:''''' the squares of the [[W:Chessboard|chessboard]],{{Efn|Since it is difficult to color points and lines white, we sometimes use black and red instead of black and white. In particular, isocline chords are sometimes shown as black or red ''dashed'' lines.{{Efn|name=interior features}}|name=black and red}} '''cells''', '''vertices''' and the '''isoclines''' which connect them by isoclinic rotation.{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} Everything else is '''''black and white:''''' e.g. adjacent '''face-bonded cell pairs''', or '''edges''' and '''chords''' which are black at one end and white at the other. Things which have [[W:Chirality|chirality]] come in '''''right or left''''' enantiomorphous forms: '''[[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotations]]''' and '''chiral objects''' which include '''[[#Characteristic orthoscheme|characteristic orthoscheme]]s''', '''[[#Chiral symmetry operations|sets of Clifford parallel great polygon planes]]''',{{Efn|name=completely orthogonal Clifford parallels are special}} '''[[W:Fiber bundle|fiber bundle]]s''' of Clifford parallel circles (whether or not the circles themselves are chiral), and the chiral cell rings of tetrahedra found in the [[16-cell#Helical construction|16-cell]] and [[600-cell#Boerdijk–Coxeter helix rings|600-cell]]. Things which have '''''neither''''' an even/odd parity nor a chirality include all '''edges''' and '''faces''' (shared by black and white cells), '''[[#Geodesics|great circle polygons]]''' and their '''[[W:Hopf fibration|fibration]]s''', and non-chiral cell rings such as the 24-cell's [[24-cell#Cell rings|cell rings of octahedra]]. Some things are associated with '''''both''''' an even/odd parity and a chirality: '''isoclines''' are black or white because they connect vertices which are all of the same color, and they ''act'' as left or right chiral objects when they are vertex paths in a left or right rotation, although they have no inherent chirality themselves. Each left (or right) rotation traverses an equal number of black and white isoclines.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}}|name=left-right versus black-white}}|name=isoclinic chessboard}}|name=black and white}} Things moving diagonally move farther than 1 unit of distance in each movement step ({{radic|2}} on the chessboard, {{radic|3}} in the 24-cell), but at the cost of ''missing'' half the destinations.{{Efn|name=one true circle}} However, in an isoclinic rotation of a rigid body all the vertices rotate at once, so every destination ''will'' be reached by some vertex. Moreover, there is another isoclinic rotation in hexagon invariant planes which does take each vertex to an adjacent (nearest) vertex. A 24-cell can displace each vertex to a vertex 60° away (a nearest vertex) by rotating isoclinically by 30° in two completely orthogonal invariant planes (one of them a hexagon), ''not'' by double-rotating directly toward the nearest vertex (and also orthogonally to that direction), but instead by double-rotating directly toward a more distant vertex (and also orthogonally to that direction). This helical 30° isoclinic rotation takes the vertex 60° to its nearest-neighbor vertex by a ''different path'' than a simple 60° rotation would. The path along the helical isocline and the path along the simple great circle have the same 60° arc-length, but they consist of disjoint sets of points (except for their endpoints, the two vertices). They are both geodesic (shortest) arcs, but on two alternate kinds of geodesic circle. One is doubly curved (through all four dimensions), and one is simply curved (lying in a two-dimensional plane).|name=missing the nearest vertices}} Each {{radic|3}} chord of the helical geodesic{{Efn|Although adjacent vertices on the isoclinic geodesic are a {{radic|3}} chord apart, a point on a rigid body under rotation does not travel along a chord: it moves along an arc between the two endpoints of the chord (a longer distance). In a ''simple'' rotation between two vertices {{radic|3}} apart, the vertex moves along the arc of a hexagonal great circle to a vertex two great hexagon edges away, and passes through the intervening hexagon vertex midway. But in an ''isoclinic'' rotation between two vertices {{radic|3}} apart the vertex moves along a helical arc called an isocline (not a planar great circle),{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} which does ''not'' pass through an intervening vertex: it misses the vertex nearest to its midpoint.{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}}|name=isocline misses vertex}} crosses between two Clifford parallel hexagon central planes, and lies in another hexagon central plane that intersects them both.{{Efn|Departing from any vertex V<sub>0</sub> in the original great hexagon plane of isoclinic rotation P<sub>0</sub>, the first vertex reached V<sub>1</sub> is 120 degrees away along a {{radic|3}} chord lying in a different hexagonal plane P<sub>1</sub>. P<sub>1</sub> is inclined to P<sub>0</sub> at a 60° angle.{{Efn|P<sub>0</sub> and P<sub>1</sub> lie in the same hyperplane (the same central cuboctahedron) so their other angle of separation is 0.{{Efn|name=two angles between central planes}}}} The second vertex reached V<sub>2</sub> is 120 degrees beyond V<sub>1</sub> along a second {{radic|3}} chord lying in another hexagonal plane P<sub>2</sub> that is Clifford parallel to P<sub>0</sub>.{{Efn|P<sub>0</sub> and P<sub>2</sub> are 60° apart in ''both'' angles of separation.{{Efn|name=two angles between central planes}} Clifford parallel planes are isoclinic (which means they are separated by two equal angles), and their corresponding vertices are all the same distance apart. Although V<sub>0</sub> and V<sub>2</sub> are ''two'' {{radic|3}} chords apart,{{Efn|V<sub>0</sub> and V<sub>2</sub> are two {{radic|3}} chords apart on the geodesic path of this rotational isocline, but that is not the shortest geodesic path between them. In the 24-cell, it is impossible for two vertices to be more distant than ''one'' {{radic|3}} chord, unless they are antipodal vertices {{radic|4}} apart.{{Efn|name=Geodesic distance}} V<sub>0</sub> and V<sub>2</sub> are ''one'' {{radic|3}} chord apart on some other isocline, and just {{radic|1}} apart on some great hexagon. Between V<sub>0</sub> and V<sub>2</sub>, the isoclinic rotation has gone the long way around the 24-cell over two {{radic|3}} chords to reach a vertex that was only {{radic|1}} away. More generally, isoclines are geodesics because the distance between their successive vertices is the shortest distance between those two vertices in some rotation connecting them, but on the 3-sphere there may be another rotation which is shorter. A path between two vertices along a geodesic is not always the shortest distance between them (even on ordinary great circle geodesics).}} P<sub>0</sub> and P<sub>2</sub> are just one {{radic|1}} edge apart (at every pair of ''nearest'' vertices).}} (Notice that V<sub>1</sub> lies in both intersecting planes P<sub>1</sub> and P<sub>2</sub>, as V<sub>0</sub> lies in both P<sub>0</sub> and P<sub>1</sub>. But P<sub>0</sub> and P<sub>2</sub> have ''no'' vertices in common; they do not intersect.) The third vertex reached V<sub>3</sub> is 120 degrees beyond V<sub>2</sub> along a third {{radic|3}} chord lying in another hexagonal plane P<sub>3</sub> that is Clifford parallel to P<sub>1</sub>. V<sub>0</sub> and V<sub>3</sub> are adjacent vertices, {{radic|1}} apart.{{Efn|name=skew hexagram}} The three {{radic|3}} chords lie in different 8-cells.{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}} V<sub>0</sub> to V<sub>3</sub> is a 360° isoclinic rotation, and one half of the 24-cell's double-loop hexagram<sub>2</sub> Clifford polygon.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}}|name=360 degree geodesic path visiting 3 hexagonal planes}} The {{radic|3}} chords meet at a 60° angle, but since they lie in different planes they form a [[W:Helix|helix]] not a [[#Great triangles|triangle]]. Three {{radic|3}} chords and 360° of rotation takes the vertex to an adjacent vertex, not back to itself. The helix of {{radic|3}} chords closes into a loop only after six {{radic|3}} chords: a 720° rotation twice around the 24-cell{{Efn|An isoclinic rotation by 60° is two simple rotations by 60° at the same time.{{Efn|The composition of two simple 60° rotations in a pair of completely orthogonal invariant planes is a 60° isoclinic rotation in ''four'' pairs of completely orthogonal invariant planes.{{Efn|name=double rotation}} Thus the isoclinic rotation is the compound of four simple rotations, and all 24 vertices rotate in invariant hexagon planes, versus just 6 vertices in a simple rotation.}} It moves all the vertices 120° at the same time, in various different directions. Six successive diagonal rotational increments, of 60°x60° each, move each vertex through 720° on a Möbius double loop called an ''isocline'', ''twice'' around the 24-cell and back to its point of origin, in the ''same time'' (six rotational units) that it would take a simple rotation to take the vertex ''once'' around the 24-cell on an ordinary great circle.{{Efn|name=double threaded}} The helical double loop 4𝝅 isocline is just another kind of ''single'' full circle, of the same time interval and period (6 chords) as the simple great circle. The isocline is ''one'' true circle,{{Efn|name=4-dimensional great circles}} as perfectly round and geodesic as the simple great circle, even through its chords are {{radic|3}} longer, its circumference is 4𝝅 instead of 2𝝅,{{Efn|All 3-sphere isoclines of the same circumference are directly or enantiomorphously congruent circles.{{Efn|name=not all isoclines are circles}} An ordinary great circle is an isocline of circumference <math>2\pi r</math>; simple rotations of unit-radius polytopes take place on 2𝝅 isoclines. Double rotations may have isoclines of other than <math>2\pi r</math> circumference. The ''characteristic rotation'' of a regular 4-polytope is the isoclinic rotation in which the central planes containing its edges are invariant planes of rotation. The 16-cell and 24-cell edge-rotate on isoclines of 4𝝅 circumference. The 600-cell edge-rotates on isoclines of 5𝝅 circumference.|name=isocline circumference}} it circles through four dimensions instead of two,{{Efn|name=Villarceau circles}} and it has two chiral forms (left and right).{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}} Nevertheless, to avoid confusion we always refer to it as an ''isocline'' and reserve the term ''great circle'' for an ordinary great circle in the plane.{{Efn|name=isocline}}|name=one true circle}} on a [[W:Skew polygon#Regular skew polygons in four dimensions|skew]] [[W:Hexagram|hexagram]] with {{radic|3}} edges.{{Efn|name=skew hexagram}} Even though all 24 vertices and all the hexagons rotate at once, a 360 degree isoclinic rotation moves each vertex only halfway around its circuit. After 360 degrees each helix has departed from 3 vertices and reached a fourth vertex adjacent to the original vertex, but has ''not'' arrived back exactly at the vertex it departed from. Each central plane (every hexagon or square in the 24-cell) has rotated 360 degrees ''and'' been tilted sideways all the way around 360 degrees back to its original position (like a coin flipping twice), but the 24-cell's [[W:Orientation entanglement|orientation]] in the 4-space in which it is embedded is now different.{{Sfn|Mebius|2015|loc=Motivation|pp=2-3|ps=; "This research originated from ... the desire to construct a computer implementation of a specific motion of the human arm, known among folk dance experts as the ''Philippine wine dance'' or ''Binasuan'' and performed by physicist [[W:Richard P. Feynman|Richard P. Feynman]] during his [[W:Dirac|Dirac]] memorial lecture 1986{{Sfn|Feynman|Weinberg|1987|loc=The reason for antiparticles}} to show that a single rotation (2𝝅) is not equivalent in all respects to no rotation at all, whereas a double rotation (4𝝅) is."}} Because the 24-cell is now inside-out, if the isoclinic rotation is continued in the ''same'' direction through another 360 degrees, the 24 moving vertices will pass through the other half of the vertices that were missed on the first revolution (the 12 antipodal vertices of the 12 that were hit the first time around), and each isoclinic geodesic ''will'' arrive back at the vertex it departed from, forming a closed six-chord helical loop. It takes a 720 degree isoclinic rotation for each [[#Helical hexagrams and their isoclines|hexagram<sub>2</sub> geodesic]] to complete a circuit through every ''second'' vertex of its six vertices by [[W:Winding number|winding]] around the 24-cell twice, returning the 24-cell to its original chiral orientation.{{Efn|In a 720° isoclinic rotation of a ''rigid'' 24-cell the 24 vertices rotate along four separate Clifford parallel hexagram<sub>2</sub> geodesic loops (six vertices circling in each loop) and return to their original positions.{{Efn|name=Villarceau circles}}}}
The hexagonal winding path that each vertex takes as it loops twice around the 24-cell forms a double helix bent into a [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius ring]], so that the two strands of the double helix form a continuous single strand in a closed loop.{{Efn|Because the 24-cell's helical hexagram<sub>2</sub> geodesic is bent into a twisted ring in the fourth dimension like a [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius strip]], its [[W:Screw thread|screw thread]] doubles back across itself in each revolution, reversing its chirality{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}} but without ever changing its even/odd parity of rotation (black or white).{{Efn|name=black and white}} The 6-vertex isoclinic path forms a Möbius double loop, like a 3-dimensional double helix with the ends of its two parallel 3-vertex helices cross-connected to each other. This 60° isocline{{Efn|A strip of paper can form a [[W:Möbius strip#Polyhedral surfaces and flat foldings|flattened Möbius strip]] in the plane by folding it at <math>60^\circ</math> angles so that its center line lies along an equilateral triangle, and attaching the ends. The shortest strip for which this is possible consists of three equilateral paper triangles, folded at the edges where two triangles meet. Since the loop traverses both sides of each paper triangle, it is a hexagonal loop over six equilateral triangles. Its [[W:Aspect ratio|aspect ratio]]{{snd}}the ratio of the strip's length{{efn|The length of a strip can be measured at its centerline, or by cutting the resulting Möbius strip perpendicularly to its boundary so that it forms a rectangle.}} to its width{{snd}}is {{nowrap|<math>\sqrt 3\approx 1.73</math>.}}}} is a [[W:Skew polygon|skewed]] instance of the [[W:Polygram (geometry)#Regular compound polygons|regular compound polygon]] denoted {6/2}{{=}}2{3} or hexagram<sub>2</sub>.{{Efn|name=skew hexagram}} Successive {{radic|3}} edges belong to different [[#8-cell|8-cells]], as the 720° isoclinic rotation takes each hexagon through all six hexagons in the [[#6-cell rings|6-cell ring]], and each 8-cell through all three 8-cells twice.{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}}|name=double threaded}} In the first revolution the vertex traverses one 3-chord strand of the double helix; in the second revolution it traverses the second 3-chord strand, moving in the same rotational direction with the same handedness (bending either left or right) throughout. Although this isoclinic Möbius [[#6-cell rings|ring]] is a circular spiral through all 4 dimensions, not a 2-dimensional circle, like a great circle it is a geodesic because it is the shortest path from vertex to vertex.{{Efn|A point under isoclinic rotation traverses the diagonal{{Efn|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} straight line of a single '''isoclinic geodesic''', reaching its destination directly, instead of the bent line of two successive '''simple geodesics'''.{{Efn||name=double rotation}} A '''[[W:Geodesic|geodesic]]''' is the ''shortest path'' through a space (intuitively, a string pulled taught between two points). Simple geodesics are great circles lying in a central plane (the only kind of geodesics that occur in 3-space on the 2-sphere). Isoclinic geodesics are different: they do ''not'' lie in a single plane; they are 4-dimensional [[W:Helix|spirals]] rather than simple 2-dimensional circles.{{Efn|name=helical geodesic}} But they are not like 3-dimensional [[W:Screw threads|screw threads]] either, because they form a closed loop like any circle.{{Efn|name=double threaded}} Isoclinic geodesics are ''4-dimensional great circles'', and they are just as circular as 2-dimensional circles: in fact, twice as circular, because they curve in ''two'' orthogonal great circles at once.{{Efn|Isoclinic geodesics or ''isoclines'' are 4-dimensional great circles in the sense that they are 1-dimensional geodesic ''lines'' that curve in 4-space in two orthogonal great circles at once.{{Efn|name=not all isoclines are circles}} They should not be confused with ''great 2-spheres'',{{Sfn|Stillwell|2001|p=24}} which are the 4-dimensional analogues of great circles (great 1-spheres).{{Efn|name=great 2-spheres}} Discrete isoclines are polygons;{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}} discrete great 2-spheres are polyhedra.|name=4-dimensional great circles}} They are true circles,{{Efn|name=one true circle}} and even form [[W:Hopf fibration|fibrations]] like ordinary 2-dimensional great circles.{{Efn|name=hexagonal fibrations}}{{Efn|name=square fibrations}} These '''isoclines''' are geodesic 1-dimensional lines embedded in a 4-dimensional space. On the 3-sphere{{Efn|All isoclines are [[W:Geodesics|geodesics]], and isoclines on the [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]] are circles (curving equally in each dimension), but not all isoclines on 3-manifolds in 4-space are circles.|name=not all isoclines are circles}} they always occur in pairs{{Efn|Isoclines on the 3-sphere occur in non-intersecting pairs of even/odd coordinate parity.{{Efn|name=black and white}} A single black or white isocline forms a [[W:Möbius loop|Möbius loop]] called the {1,1} torus knot or Villarceau circle{{Sfn|Dorst|2019|loc=§1. Villarceau Circles|p=44|ps=; "In mathematics, the path that the (1, 1) knot on the torus traces is also known as a [[W:Villarceau circle|Villarceau circle]]. Villarceau circles are usually introduced as two intersecting circles that are the cross-section of a torus by a well-chosen plane cutting it. Picking one such circle and rotating it around the torus axis, the resulting family of circles can be used to rule the torus. By nesting tori smartly, the collection of all such circles then form a [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]].... we prefer to consider the Villarceau circle as the (1, 1) torus knot rather than as a planar cut."}} in which each of two "circles" linked in a Möbius "figure eight" loop traverses through all four dimensions.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}} The double loop is a true circle in four dimensions.{{Efn|name=one true circle}} Even and odd isoclines are also linked, not in a Möbius loop but as a [[W:Hopf link|Hopf link]] of two non-intersecting circles,{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} as are all the Clifford parallel isoclines of a [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fiber bundle]].|name=Villarceau circles}} as [[W:Villarceau circle|Villarceau circle]]s on the [[W:Clifford torus|Clifford torus]], the geodesic paths traversed by vertices in an [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Double rotations|isoclinic rotation]]. They are [[W:Helix|helices]] bent into a [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius loop]] in the fourth dimension, taking a diagonal [[W:Winding number|winding route]] around the 3-sphere through the non-adjacent vertices{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}} of a 4-polytope's [[W:Skew polygon#Regular skew polygons in four dimensions|skew]] '''Clifford polygon'''.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}}|name=isoclinic geodesic}}
=== Clifford parallel polytopes ===
Two planes are also called ''isoclinic'' if an isoclinic rotation will bring them together.{{Efn|name=two angles between central planes}} The isoclinic planes are precisely those central planes with Clifford parallel geodesic great circles.{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|loc=Relations to Clifford parallelism|pp=8-9}} Clifford parallel great circles do not intersect,{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} so isoclinic great circle polygons have disjoint vertices. In the 24-cell every hexagonal central plane is isoclinic to three others, and every square central plane is isoclinic to five others. We can pick out 4 mutually isoclinic (Clifford parallel) great hexagons (four different ways) covering all 24 vertices of the 24-cell just once (a hexagonal fibration).{{Efn|The 24-cell has four sets of 4 non-intersecting [[W:Clifford parallel|Clifford parallel]]{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} great circles each passing through 6 vertices (a great hexagon), with only one great hexagon in each set passing through each vertex, and the 4 hexagons in each set reaching all 24 vertices.{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}} Each set constitutes a discrete [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]] of interlocking great circles. The 24-cell can also be divided (eight different ways) into 4 disjoint subsets of 6 vertices (hexagrams) that do ''not'' lie in a hexagonal central plane, each skew [[#Helical hexagrams and their isoclines|hexagram forming an isoclinic geodesic or ''isocline'']] that is the rotational circle traversed by those 6 vertices in one particular left or right [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]]. Each of these sets of four Clifford parallel isoclines belongs to one of the four discrete Hopf fibrations of hexagonal great circles.{{Efn|Each set of [[W:Clifford parallel|Clifford parallel]] [[#Geodesics|great circle]] polygons is a different bundle of fibers than the corresponding set of Clifford parallel isocline{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} polygrams, but the two [[W:Fiber bundles|fiber bundles]] together constitute the ''same'' discrete [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]], because they enumerate the 24 vertices together by their intersection in the same distinct (left or right) isoclinic rotation. They are the [[W:Warp and woof|warp and woof]] of the same woven fabric that is the fibration.|name=great circles and isoclines are same fibration|name=warp and woof}}|name=hexagonal fibrations}} We can pick out 6 mutually isoclinic (Clifford parallel) great squares{{Efn|Each great square plane is isoclinic (Clifford parallel) to five other square planes but [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] to only one of them.{{Efn|name=Clifford parallel squares in the 16-cell and 24-cell}} Every pair of completely orthogonal planes has Clifford parallel great circles, but not all Clifford parallel great circles are orthogonal (e.g., none of the hexagonal geodesics in the 24-cell are mutually orthogonal). There is also another way in which completely orthogonal planes are in a distinguished category of Clifford parallel planes: they are not [[W:Chiral|chiral]], or strictly speaking they possess both chiralities. A pair of isoclinic (Clifford parallel) planes is either a ''left pair'' or a ''right pair'', unless they are separated by two angles of 90° (completely orthogonal planes) or 0° (coincident planes).{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|p=8|loc=Left and Right Pairs of Isoclinic Planes}} Most isoclinic planes are brought together only by a left isoclinic rotation or a right isoclinic rotation, respectively. Completely orthogonal planes are special: the pair of planes is both a left and a right pair, so either a left or a right isoclinic rotation will bring them together. This occurs because isoclinic square planes are 180° apart at all vertex pairs: not just Clifford parallel but completely orthogonal. The isoclines (chiral vertex paths){{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} of 90° isoclinic rotations are special for the same reason. Left and right isoclines loop through the same set of antipodal vertices (hitting both ends of each [[16-cell#Helical construction|16-cell axis]]), instead of looping through disjoint left and right subsets of black or white antipodal vertices (hitting just one end of each axis), as the left and right isoclines of all other fibrations do.|name=completely orthogonal Clifford parallels are special}} (three different ways) covering all 24 vertices of the 24-cell just once (a square fibration).{{Efn|The 24-cell has three sets of 6 non-intersecting Clifford parallel great circles each passing through 4 vertices (a great square), with only one great square in each set passing through each vertex, and the 6 squares in each set reaching all 24 vertices.{{Efn|name=three square fibrations}} Each set constitutes a discrete [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]] of 6 interlocking great squares, which is simply the compound of the three inscribed 16-cell's discrete Hopf fibrations of 2 interlocking great squares. The 24-cell can also be divided (six different ways) into 3 disjoint subsets of 8 vertices (octagrams) that do ''not'' lie in a square central plane, but comprise a 16-cell and lie on a skew [[#Helical octagrams and thei isoclines|octagram<sub>3</sub> forming an isoclinic geodesic or ''isocline'']] that is the rotational cirle traversed by those 8 vertices in one particular left or right [[16-cell#Rotations|isoclinic rotation]] as they rotate positions within the 16-cell.{{Efn|name=warp and woof}}|name=square fibrations}} Every isoclinic rotation taking vertices to vertices corresponds to a discrete fibration.{{Efn|name=fibrations are distinguished only by rotations}}
Two dimensional great circle polygons are not the only polytopes in the 24-cell which are parallel in the Clifford sense.{{Sfn|Tyrrell|Semple|1971|pp=1-9|loc=§1. Introduction}} Congruent polytopes of 2, 3 or 4 dimensions can be said to be Clifford parallel in 4 dimensions if their corresponding vertices are all the same distance apart. The three 16-cells inscribed in the 24-cell are Clifford parallels. Clifford parallel polytopes are ''completely disjoint'' polytopes.{{Efn|Polytopes are '''completely disjoint''' if all their ''element sets'' are disjoint: they do not share any vertices, edges, faces or cells. They may still overlap in space, sharing 4-content, volume, area, or linage.|name=completely disjoint}} A 60 degree isoclinic rotation in hexagonal planes takes each 16-cell to a disjoint 16-cell. Like all [[#Double rotations|double rotations]], isoclinic rotations come in two [[W:Chiral|chiral]] forms: there is a disjoint 16-cell to the ''left'' of each 16-cell, and another to its ''right''.{{Efn|Visualize the three [[16-cell]]s inscribed in the 24-cell (left, right, and middle), and the rotation which takes them to each other. [[#Reciprocal constructions from 8-cell and 16-cell|The vertices of the middle 16-cell lie on the (w, x, y, z) coordinate axes]];{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}} the other two are rotated 60° [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinically]] to its left and its right. The 24-vertex 24-cell is a compound of three 16-cells, whose three sets of 8 vertices are distributed around the 24-cell symmetrically; each vertex is surrounded by 8 others (in the 3-dimensional space of the 4-dimensional 24-cell's ''surface''), the way the vertices of a cube surround its center.{{Efn|name=24-cell vertex figure}} The 8 surrounding vertices (the cube corners) lie in other 16-cells: 4 in the other 16-cell to the left, and 4 in the other 16-cell to the right. They are the vertices of two tetrahedra inscribed in the cube, one belonging (as a cell) to each 16-cell. If the 16-cell edges are {{radic|2}}, each vertex of the compound of three 16-cells is {{radic|1}} away from its 8 surrounding vertices in other 16-cells. Now visualize those {{radic|1}} distances as the edges of the 24-cell (while continuing to visualize the disjoint 16-cells). The {{radic|1}} edges form great hexagons of 6 vertices which run around the 24-cell in a central plane. ''Four'' hexagons cross at each vertex (and its antipodal vertex), inclined at 60° to each other.{{Efn|name=cuboctahedral hexagons}} The [[#Great hexagons|hexagons]] are not perpendicular to each other, or to the 16-cells' perpendicular [[#Great squares|square central planes]].{{Efn|name=non-orthogonal hexagons}} The left and right 16-cells form a tesseract.{{Efn|Each pair of the three 16-cells inscribed in the 24-cell forms a 4-dimensional [[W:Tesseract|hypercube (a tesseract or 8-cell)]], in [[#Relationships among interior polytopes|dimensional analogy]] to the way two tetrahedra form a cube: the two 8-vertex 16-cells are inscribed in the 16-vertex tesseract, occupying its alternate vertices. The third 16-cell does not lie within the tesseract; its 8 vertices protrude from the sides of the tesseract, forming a cubic pyramid on each of the tesseract's cubic cells (as in [[#Reciprocal constructions from 8-cell and 16-cell|Gosset's construction of the 24-cell]]). The three pairs of 16-cells form three tesseracts.{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}} The tesseracts share vertices, but the 16-cells are completely disjoint.{{Efn|name=completely disjoint}}|name=three 16-cells form three tesseracts}} Two 16-cells have vertex-pairs which are one {{radic|1}} edge (one hexagon edge) apart. But a [[#Simple rotations|''simple'' rotation]] of 60° will not take one whole 16-cell to another 16-cell, because their vertices are 60° apart in different directions, and a simple rotation has only one hexagonal plane of rotation. One 16-cell ''can'' be taken to another 16-cell by a 60° [[#Isoclinic rotations|''isoclinic'' rotation]], because an isoclinic rotation is [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]] symmetric: four [[#Clifford parallel polytopes|Clifford parallel hexagonal planes]] rotate together, but in four different rotational directions,{{Efn|name=Clifford displacement}} taking each 16-cell to another 16-cell. But since an isoclinic 60° rotation is a ''diagonal'' rotation by 60° in ''two'' orthogonal great circles at once,{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} the corresponding vertices of the 16-cell and the 16-cell it is taken to are 120° apart: ''two'' {{radic|1}} hexagon edges (or one {{radic|3}} hexagon chord) apart, not one {{radic|1}} edge (60°) apart.{{Efn|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} By the [[W:Chiral|chiral]] diagonal nature of isoclinic rotations, the 16-cell ''cannot'' reach the adjacent 16-cell (whose vertices are one {{radic|1}} edge away) by rotating toward it;{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}} it can only reach the 16-cell ''beyond'' it (120° away). But of course, the 16-cell beyond the 16-cell to its right is the 16-cell to its left. So a 60° isoclinic rotation ''will'' take every 16-cell to another 16-cell: a 60° ''right'' isoclinic rotation will take the middle 16-cell to the 16-cell we may have originally visualized as the ''left'' 16-cell, and a 60° ''left'' isoclinic rotation will take the middle 16-cell to the 16-cell we visualized as the ''right'' 16-cell. If so, that was not an error in our visualization; there are two chiral images we can ascribe to the 24-cell, from mirror-image viewpoints which turn the 24-cell inside-out. But from either viewpoint, the 16-cell to the "left" is the one reached by the left isoclinic rotation, as that is the only [[#Double rotations|sense in which the two 16-cells are left or right]] of each other.{{Efn|name=clasped hands}}|name=three isoclinic 16-cells}}
All Clifford parallel 4-polytopes are related by an isoclinic rotation,{{Efn|name=Clifford displacement}} but not all isoclinic polytopes are Clifford parallels (completely disjoint).{{Efn|All isoclinic ''planes'' are Clifford parallels (completely disjoint).{{Efn|name=completely disjoint}} Three and four dimensional cocentric objects may intersect (sharing elements) but still be related by an isoclinic rotation. Polyhedra and 4-polytopes may be isoclinic and ''not'' disjoint, if all of their corresponding planes are either Clifford parallel, or cocellular (in the same hyperplane) or coincident (the same plane).}} The three 8-cells in the 24-cell are isoclinic but not Clifford parallel. Like the 16-cells, they are rotated 60 degrees isoclinically with respect to each other, but their vertices are not all disjoint (and therefore not all equidistant). Each vertex occurs in two of the three 8-cells (as each 16-cell occurs in two of the three 8-cells).{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}}
Isoclinic rotations relate the convex regular 4-polytopes to each other. An isoclinic rotation of a single 16-cell will generate{{Efn|By ''generate'' we mean simply that some vertex of the first polytope will visit each vertex of the generated polytope in the course of the rotation.}} a 24-cell. A simple rotation of a single 16-cell will not, because its vertices will not reach either of the other two 16-cells' vertices in the course of the rotation. An isoclinic rotation of the 24-cell will generate the 600-cell, and an isoclinic rotation of the 600-cell will generate the 120-cell. (Or they can all be generated directly by an isoclinic rotation of the 16-cell, generating isoclinic copies of itself.) The different convex regular 4-polytopes nest inside each other, and multiple instances of the same 4-polytope hide next to each other in the Clifford parallel spaces that comprise the 3-sphere.{{Sfn|Tyrrell|Semple|1971|loc=Clifford Parallel Spaces and Clifford Reguli|pp=20-33}} For an object of more than one dimension, the only way to reach these parallel subspaces directly is by isoclinic rotation. Like a key operating a four-dimensional lock, an object must twist in two completely perpendicular tumbler cylinders at once in order to move the short distance between Clifford parallel subspaces.
=== Rings ===
In the 24-cell there are sets of rings of six different kinds, described separately in detail in other sections of [[24-cell|this article]]. This section describes how the different kinds of rings are [[#Relationships among interior polytopes|intertwined]].
The 24-cell contains four kinds of [[#Geodesics|geodesic fibers]] (polygonal rings running through vertices): [[#Great squares|great circle squares]] and their [[16-cell#Helical construction|isoclinic helix octagrams]],{{Efn|name=square fibrations}} and [[#Great hexagons|great circle hexagons]] and their [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic helix hexagrams]].{{Efn|name=hexagonal fibrations}} It also contains two kinds of [[24-cell#Cell rings|cell rings]] (chains of octahedra bent into a ring in the fourth dimension): four octahedra connected vertex-to-vertex and bent into a square, and six octahedra connected face-to-face and bent into a hexagon.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1970|loc=§8. The simplex, cube, cross-polytope and 24-cell|p=18|ps=; Coxeter studied cell rings in the general case of their geometry and [[W:Group theory|group theory]], identifying each cell ring as a [[W:Polytope|polytope]] in its own right which fills a three-dimensional manifold (such as the [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]]) with its corresponding [[W:Honeycomb (geometry)|honeycomb]]. He found that cell rings follow [[W:Petrie polygon|Petrie polygon]]s{{Efn|name=Petrie dodecagram and Clifford hexagram}} and some (but not all) cell rings and their honeycombs are ''twisted'', occurring in left- and right-handed [[W:chiral|chiral]] forms. Specifically, he found that since the 24-cell's octahedral cells have opposing faces, the cell rings in the 24-cell are of the non-chiral (directly congruent) kind.{{Efn|name=6-cell ring is not chiral}} Each of the 24-cell's cell rings has its corresponding honeycomb in Euclidean (rather than hyperbolic) space, so the 24-cell tiles 4-dimensional Euclidean space by translation to form the [[W:24-cell honeycomb|24-cell honeycomb]].}}{{Sfn|Banchoff|2013|ps=, studied the decomposition of regular 4-polytopes into honeycombs of tori tiling the [[W:Clifford torus|Clifford torus]], showed how the honeycombs correspond to [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]]s, and made a particular study of the [[#6-cell rings|24-cell's 4 rings of 6 octahedral cells]] with illustrations.}}
==== 4-cell rings ====
Four unit-edge-length octahedra can be connected vertex-to-vertex along a common axis of length 4{{radic|2}}. The axis can then be bent into a square of edge length {{radic|2}}. Although it is possible to do this in a space of only three dimensions, that is not how it occurs in the 24-cell. Although the {{radic|2}} axes of the four octahedra occupy the same plane, forming one of the 18 {{radic|2}} great squares of the 24-cell, each octahedron occupies a different 3-dimensional hyperplane,{{Efn|Just as each face of a [[W:Polyhedron|polyhedron]] occupies a different (2-dimensional) face plane, each cell of a [[W:Polychoron|polychoron]] occupies a different (3-dimensional) cell [[W:Hyperplane|hyperplane]].{{Efn|name=hyperplanes}}}} and all four dimensions are utilized. The 24-cell can be partitioned into 6 such 4-cell rings (three different ways), mutually interlinked like adjacent links in a chain (but these [[W:Link (knot theory)|links]] all have a common center). An [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]] in a great square plane by a multiple of 90° takes each octahedron in the ring to an octahedron in the ring.
==== 6-cell rings ====
[[File:Six face-bonded octahedra.jpg|thumb|400px|A 4-dimensional ring of 6 face-bonded octahedra, bounded by two intersecting sets of three Clifford parallel great hexagons of different colors, cut and laid out flat in 3 dimensional space.{{Efn|name=6-cell ring}}]]Six regular octahedra can be connected face-to-face along a common axis that passes through their centers of volume, forming a stack or column with only triangular faces. In a space of four dimensions, the axis can then be bent 60° in the fourth dimension at each of the six octahedron centers, in a plane orthogonal to all three orthogonal central planes of each octahedron, such that the top and bottom triangular faces of the column become coincident. The column becomes a ring around a hexagonal axis. The 24-cell can be partitioned into 4 such rings (four different ways), mutually interlinked. Because the hexagonal axis joins cell centers (not vertices), it is not a great hexagon of the 24-cell.{{Efn|The axial hexagon of the 6-octahedron ring does not intersect any vertices or edges of the 24-cell, but it does hit faces. In a unit-edge-length 24-cell, it has edges of length 1/2.{{Efn|When unit-edge octahedra are placed face-to-face the distance between their centers of volume is {{radic|2/3}} ≈ 0.816.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=292-293|loc=Table I(i): Octahedron}} When 24 face-bonded octahedra are bent into a 24-cell lying on the 3-sphere, the centers of the octahedra are closer together in 4-space. Within the curved 3-dimensional surface space filled by the 24 cells, the cell centers are still {{radic|2/3}} apart along the curved geodesics that join them. But on the straight chords that join them, which dip inside the 3-sphere, they are only 1/2 edge length apart.}} Because it joins six cell centers, the axial hexagon is a great hexagon of the smaller dual 24-cell that is formed by joining the 24 cell centers.{{Efn|name=common core}}}} However, six great hexagons can be found in the ring of six octahedra, running along the edges of the octahedra. In the column of six octahedra (before it is bent into a ring) there are six spiral paths along edges running up the column: three parallel helices spiraling clockwise, and three parallel helices spiraling counterclockwise. Each clockwise helix intersects each counterclockwise helix at two vertices three edge lengths apart. Bending the column into a ring changes these helices into great circle hexagons.{{Efn|There is a choice of planes in which to fold the column into a ring, but they are equivalent in that they produce congruent rings. Whichever folding planes are chosen, each of the six helices joins its own two ends and forms a simple great circle hexagon. These hexagons are ''not'' helices: they lie on ordinary flat great circles. Three of them are Clifford parallel{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} and belong to one [[#Great hexagons|hexagonal]] fibration. They intersect the other three, which belong to another hexagonal fibration. The three parallel great circles of each fibration spiral around each other in the sense that they form a [[W:Link (knot theory)|link]] of three ordinary circles, but they are not twisted: the 6-cell ring has no [[W:Torsion of a curve|torsion]], either clockwise or counterclockwise.{{Efn|name=6-cell ring is not chiral}}|name=6-cell ring}} The ring has two sets of three great hexagons, each on three Clifford parallel great circles.{{Efn|The three great hexagons are Clifford parallel, which is different than ordinary parallelism.{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} Clifford parallel great hexagons pass through each other like adjacent links of a chain, forming a [[W:Hopf link|Hopf link]]. Unlike links in a 3-dimensional chain, they share the same center point. In the 24-cell, Clifford parallel great hexagons occur in sets of four, not three. The fourth parallel hexagon lies completely outside the 6-cell ring; its 6 vertices are completely disjoint from the ring's 18 vertices.}} The great hexagons in each parallel set of three do not intersect, but each intersects the other three great hexagons (to which it is not Clifford parallel) at two antipodal vertices.
A [[#Simple rotations|simple rotation]] in any of the great hexagon planes by a multiple of 60° rotates only that hexagon invariantly, taking each vertex in that hexagon to a vertex in the same hexagon. An [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]] by 60° in any of the six great hexagon planes rotates all three Clifford parallel great hexagons invariantly, and takes each octahedron in the ring to a ''non-adjacent'' octahedron in the ring.{{Efn|An isoclinic rotation by a multiple of 60° takes even-numbered octahedra in the ring to even-numbered octahedra, and odd-numbered octahedra to odd-numbered octahedra.{{Efn|In the column of 6 octahedral cells, we number the cells 0-5 going up the column. We also label each vertex with an integer 0-5 based on how many edge lengths it is up the column.}} It is impossible for an even-numbered octahedron to reach an odd-numbered octahedron, or vice versa, by a left or a right isoclinic rotation alone.{{Efn|name=black and white}}|name=black and white octahedra}}
Each isoclinically displaced octahedron is also rotated itself. After a 360° isoclinic rotation each octahedron is back in the same position, but in a different orientation. In a 720° isoclinic rotation, its vertices are returned to their original [[W:Orientation entanglement|orientation]].
Four Clifford parallel great hexagons comprise a discrete fiber bundle covering all 24 vertices in a [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]]. The 24-cell has four such [[#Great hexagons|discrete hexagonal fibrations]] <math>F_a, F_b, F_c, F_d</math>. Each great hexagon belongs to just one fibration, and the four fibrations are defined by disjoint sets of four great hexagons each.{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|loc=§8.3 Properties of the Hopf Fibration|pp=14-16|ps=; Corollary 9. Every great circle belongs to a unique right [(and left)] Hopf bundle.}} Each fibration is the domain (container) of a unique left-right pair of isoclinic rotations (left and right Hopf fiber bundles).{{Efn|The choice of a partitioning of a regular 4-polytope into cell rings (a fibration) is arbitrary, because all of its cells are identical. No particular fibration is distinguished, ''unless'' the 4-polytope is rotating. Each fibration corresponds to a left-right pair of isoclinic rotations in a particular set of Clifford parallel invariant central planes of rotation. In the 24-cell, distinguishing a hexagonal fibration{{Efn|name=hexagonal fibrations}} means choosing a cell-disjoint set of four 6-cell rings that is the unique container of a left-right pair of isoclinic rotations in four Clifford parallel hexagonal invariant planes. The left and right rotations take place in chiral subspaces of that container,{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|p=12|loc=§8 The Construction of Hopf Fibrations; 3}} but the fibration and the octahedral cell rings themselves are not chiral objects.{{Efn|name=6-cell ring is not chiral}}|name=fibrations are distinguished only by rotations}}
Four cell-disjoint 6-cell rings also comprise each discrete fibration defined by four Clifford parallel great hexagons. Each 6-cell ring contains only 18 of the 24 vertices, and only 6 of the 16 great hexagons, which we see illustrated above running along the cell ring's edges: 3 spiraling clockwise and 3 counterclockwise. Those 6 hexagons running along the cell ring's edges are not among the set of four parallel hexagons which define the fibration. For example, one of the four 6-cell rings in fibration <math>F_a</math> contains 3 parallel hexagons running clockwise along the cell ring's edges from fibration <math>F_b</math>, and 3 parallel hexagons running counterclockwise along the cell ring's edges from fibration <math>F_c</math>, but that cell ring contains no great hexagons from fibration <math>F_a</math> or fibration <math>F_d</math>.
The 24-cell contains 16 great hexagons, divided into four disjoint sets of four hexagons, each disjoint set uniquely defining a fibration. Each fibration is also a distinct set of four cell-disjoint 6-cell rings. The 24-cell has exactly 16 distinct 6-cell rings. Each 6-cell ring belongs to just one of the four fibrations.{{Efn|The dual polytope of the 24-cell is another 24-cell. It can be constructed by placing vertices at the 24 cell centers. Each 6-cell ring corresponds to a great hexagon in the dual 24-cell, so there are 16 distinct 6-cell rings, as there are 16 distinct great hexagons, each belonging to just one fibration.}}
==== Helical hexagrams and their isoclines ====
Another kind of geodesic fiber, the [[#Isoclinic rotations|helical hexagram isoclines]], can be found within a 6-cell ring of octahedra. Each of these geodesics runs through every ''second'' vertex of a skew [[W:Hexagram|hexagram]]<sub>2</sub>, which in the unit-radius, unit-edge-length 24-cell has six {{radic|3}} edges. The hexagram does not lie in a single central plane, but is composed of six linked {{radic|3}} chords from the six different hexagon great circles in the 6-cell ring. The isocline geodesic fiber is the path of an isoclinic rotation,{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} a helical rather than simply circular path around the 24-cell which links vertices two edge lengths apart and consequently must wrap twice around the 24-cell before completing its six-vertex loop.{{Efn|The chord-path of an isocline (the geodesic along which a vertex moves under isoclinic rotation) may be called the 4-polytope's '''Clifford polygon''', as it is the skew polygonal shape of the rotational circles traversed by the 4-polytope's vertices in its characteristic [[W:Clifford displacement|Clifford displacement]].{{Sfn|Tyrrell|Semple|1971|loc=Linear Systems of Clifford Parallels|pp=34-57}} The isocline is a helical Möbius double loop which reverses its chirality twice in the course of a full double circuit. The double loop is entirely contained within a single [[24-cell#Cell rings|cell ring]], where it follows chords connecting even (odd) vertices: typically opposite vertices of adjacent cells, two edge lengths apart.{{Efn|name=black and white}} Both "halves" of the double loop pass through each cell in the cell ring, but intersect only two even (odd) vertices in each even (odd) cell. Each pair of intersected vertices in an even (odd) cell lie opposite each other on the [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius strip]], exactly one edge length apart. Thus each cell has both helices passing through it, which are Clifford parallels{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} of opposite chirality at each pair of parallel points. Globally these two helices are a single connected circle of ''both'' chiralities, with no net [[W:Torsion of a curve|torsion]]. An isocline acts as a left (or right) isocline when traversed by a left (or right) rotation (of different fibrations).{{Efn|name=one true circle}}|name=Clifford polygon}} Rather than a flat hexagon, it forms a [[W:Skew polygon|skew]] hexagram out of two three-sided 360 degree half-loops: open triangles joined end-to-end to each other in a six-sided Möbius loop.{{Efn|name=double threaded}}
Each 6-cell ring contains six such hexagram isoclines, three black and three white, that connect even and odd vertices respectively.{{Efn|Only one kind of 6-cell ring exists, not two different chiral kinds (right-handed and left-handed), because octahedra have opposing faces and form untwisted cell rings. In addition to two sets of three Clifford parallel{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} [[#Great hexagons|great hexagons]], three black and three white [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic hexagram geodesics]] run through the [[#6-cell rings|6-cell ring]].{{Efn|name=hexagonal fibrations}} Each of these chiral skew [[W:Hexagram|hexagram]]s lies on a different kind of circle called an ''isocline'',{{Efn|name=not all isoclines are circles}} a helical circle [[W:Winding number|winding]] through all four dimensions instead of lying in a single plane.{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} These helical great circles occur in Clifford parallel [[W:Hopf fibration|fiber bundles]] just as ordinary planar great circles do. In the 6-cell ring, black and white hexagrams pass through even and odd vertices respectively, and miss the vertices in between, so the isoclines are disjoint.{{Efn|name=black and white}}|name=6-cell ring is not chiral}} Each of the three black-white pairs of isoclines belongs to one of the three fibrations in which the 6-cell ring occurs. Each fibration's right (or left) rotation traverses two black isoclines and two white isoclines in parallel, rotating all 24 vertices.{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}}
Beginning at any vertex at one end of the column of six octahedra, we can follow an isoclinic path of {{radic|3}} chords of an isocline from octahedron to octahedron. In the 24-cell the {{radic|1}} edges are [[#Great hexagons|great hexagon]] edges (and octahedron edges); in the column of six octahedra we see six great hexagons running along the octahedra's edges. The {{radic|3}} chords are great hexagon diagonals, joining great hexagon vertices two {{radic|1}} edges apart. We find them in the ring of six octahedra running from a vertex in one octahedron to a vertex in the next octahedron, passing through the face shared by the two octahedra (but not touching any of the face's 3 vertices). Each {{radic|3}} chord is a chord of just one great hexagon (an edge of a [[#Great triangles|great triangle]] inscribed in that great hexagon), but successive {{radic|3}} chords belong to different great hexagons.{{Efn|name=360 degree geodesic path visiting 3 hexagonal planes}} At each vertex the isoclinic path of {{radic|3}} chords bends 60 degrees in two central planes{{Efn|Two central planes in which the path bends 60° at the vertex are (a) the great hexagon plane that the chord ''before'' the vertex belongs to, and (b) the great hexagon plane that the chord ''after'' the vertex belongs to. Plane (b) contains the 120° isocline chord joining the original vertex to a vertex in great hexagon plane (c), Clifford parallel to (a); the vertex moves over this chord to this next vertex. The angle of inclination between the Clifford parallel (isoclinic) great hexagon planes (a) and (c) is also 60°. In this 60° interval of the isoclinic rotation, great hexagon plane (a) rotates 60° within itself ''and'' tilts 60° in an orthogonal plane (not plane (b)) to become great hexagon plane (c). The three great hexagon planes (a), (b) and (c) are not orthogonal (they are inclined at 60° to each other), but (a) and (b) are two central hexagons in the same cuboctahedron, and (b) and (c) likewise in an orthogonal cuboctahedron.{{Efn|name=cuboctahedral hexagons}}}} at once: 60 degrees around the great hexagon that the chord before the vertex belongs to, and 60 degrees into the plane of a different great hexagon entirely, that the chord after the vertex belongs to.{{Efn|At each vertex there is only one adjacent great hexagon plane that the isocline can bend 60 degrees into: the isoclinic path is ''deterministic'' in the sense that it is linear, not branching, because each vertex in the cell ring is a place where just two of the six great hexagons contained in the cell ring cross. If each great hexagon is given edges and chords of a particular color (as in the 6-cell ring illustration), we can name each great hexagon by its color, and each kind of vertex by a hyphenated two-color name. The cell ring contains 18 vertices named by the 9 unique two-color combinations; each vertex and its antipodal vertex have the same two colors in their name, since when two great hexagons intersect they do so at antipodal vertices. Each isoclinic skew hexagram{{Efn|Each half of a skew hexagram is an open triangle of three {{radic|3}} chords, the two open ends of which are one {{radic|1}} edge length apart. The two halves, like the whole isocline, have no inherent chirality but the same parity-color (black or white). The halves are the two opposite "edges" of a [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius strip]] that is {{radic|1}} wide; it actually has only one edge, which is a single continuous circle with 6 chords.|name=skew hexagram}} contains one {{radic|3}} chord of each color, and visits 6 of the 9 different color-pairs of vertex.{{Efn|Each vertex of the 6-cell ring is intersected by two skew hexagrams of the same parity (black or white) belonging to different fibrations.{{Efn|name=6-cell ring is not chiral}}|name=hexagrams hitting vertex of 6-cell ring}} Each 6-cell ring contains six such isoclinic skew hexagrams, three black and three white.{{Efn|name=hexagrams missing vertex of 6-cell ring}}|name=Möbius double loop hexagram}} Thus the path follows one great hexagon from each octahedron to the next, but switches to another of the six great hexagons in the next link of the hexagram<sub>2</sub> path. Followed along the column of six octahedra (and "around the end" where the column is bent into a ring) the path may at first appear to be zig-zagging between three adjacent parallel hexagonal central planes (like a [[W:Petrie polygon|Petrie polygon]]), but it is not: any isoclinic path we can pick out always zig-zags between ''two sets'' of three adjacent parallel hexagonal central planes, intersecting only every even (or odd) vertex and never changing its inherent even/odd parity, as it visits all six of the great hexagons in the 6-cell ring in rotation.{{Efn|The 24-cell's [[W:Petrie polygon#The Petrie polygon of regular polychora (4-polytopes)|Petrie polygon]] is a skew [[W:Skew polygon#Regular skew polygons in four dimensions|dodecagon]] {12} and also (orthogonally) a skew [[W:Dodecagram|dodecagram]] {12/5} which zig-zags 90° left and right like the edges dividing the black and white squares on the [[W:Chessboard|chessboard]].{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=292-293|loc=Table I(ii); 24-cell ''h<sub>1</sub> is {12}, h<sub>2</sub> is {12/5}''}} In contrast, the skew hexagram<sub>2</sub> isocline does not zig-zag, and stays on one side or the other of the dividing line between black and white, like the [[W:Bishop (chess)|bishop]]s' paths along the diagonals of either the black or white squares of the chessboard.{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}} The Petrie dodecagon is a circular helix of {{radic|1}} edges that zig-zag 90° left and right along 12 edges of 6 different octahedra (with 3 consecutive edges in each octahedron) in a 360° rotation. In contrast, the isoclinic hexagram<sub>2</sub> has {{radic|3}} edges which all bend either left or right at every ''second'' vertex along a geodesic spiral of ''both'' chiralities (left and right){{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}} but only one color (black or white),{{Efn|name=black and white}} visiting one vertex of each of those same 6 octahedra in a 720° rotation.|name=Petrie dodecagram and Clifford hexagram}} When it has traversed one chord from each of the six great hexagons, after 720 degrees of isoclinic rotation (either left or right), it closes its skew hexagram and begins to repeat itself, circling again through the black (or white) vertices and cells.
At each vertex, there are four great hexagons{{Efn|Each pair of adjacent edges of a great hexagon has just one isocline curving alongside it,{{Efn|Each vertex of a 6-cell ring is missed by the two halves of the same Möbius double loop hexagram,{{Efn|name=Möbius double loop hexagram}} which curve past it on either side.|name=hexagrams missing vertex of 6-cell ring}} missing the vertex between the two edges (but not the way the {{radic|3}} edge of the great triangle inscribed in the great hexagon misses the vertex,{{Efn|The {{radic|3}} chord passes through the mid-edge of one of the 24-cell's {{radic|1}} radii. Since the 24-cell can be constructed, with its long radii, from {{radic|1}} triangles which meet at its center, this is a mid-edge of one of the six {{radic|1}} triangles in a great hexagon, as seen in the [[#Hypercubic chords|chord diagram]].|name=root 3 chord hits a mid-radius}} because the isocline is an arc on the surface not a chord). If we number the vertices around the hexagon 0-5, the hexagon has three pairs of adjacent edges connecting even vertices (one inscribed great triangle), and three pairs connecting odd vertices (the other inscribed great triangle). Even and odd pairs of edges have the arc of a black and a white isocline respectively curving alongside.{{Efn|name=black and white}} The three black and three white isoclines belong to the same 6-cell ring of the same fibration.{{Efn|name=Möbius double loop hexagram}}|name=isoclines at hexagons}} and four hexagram isoclines (all black or all white) that cross at the vertex.{{Efn|Each hexagram isocline hits only one end of an axis, unlike a great circle which hits both ends. Clifford parallel pairs of black and white isoclines from the same left-right pair of isoclinic rotations (the same fibration) do not intersect, but they hit opposite (antipodal) vertices of ''one'' of the 24-cell's 12 axes.|name=hexagram isoclines at an axis}} Four hexagram isoclines (two black and two white) comprise a unique (left or right) fiber bundle of isoclines covering all 24 vertices in each distinct (left or right) isoclinic rotation. Each fibration has a unique left and right isoclinic rotation, and corresponding unique left and right fiber bundles of isoclines.{{Efn|The isoclines themselves are not left or right, only the bundles are. Each isocline is left ''and'' right.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}}}} There are 16 distinct hexagram isoclines in the 24-cell (8 black and 8 white).{{Efn|The 12 black-white pairs of hexagram isoclines in each fibration{{Efn|name=hexagram isoclines at an axis}} and the 16 distinct hexagram isoclines in the 24-cell form a [[W:Reye configuration|Reye configuration]] 12<sub>4</sub>16<sub>3</sub>, just the way the 24-cell's 12 axes and [[#Great hexagons|16 hexagons]] do. Each of the 12 black-white pairs occurs in one cell ring of each fibration of 4 hexagram isoclines, and each cell ring contains 3 black-white pairs of the 16 hexagram isoclines.|name=a right (left) isoclinic rotation is a Reye configuration}} Each isocline is a skew ''Clifford polygon'' of no inherent chirality, but acts as a left (or right) isocline when traversed by a left (or right) rotation in different fibrations.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}}
==== Helical octagrams and their isoclines ====
The 24-cell contains 18 helical [[W:Octagram|octagram]] isoclines (9 black and 9 white). Three pairs of octagram edge-helices are found in each of the three inscribed 16-cells, described elsewhere as the [[16-cell#Helical construction|helical construction of the 16-cell]]. In summary, each 16-cell can be decomposed (three different ways) into a left-right pair of 8-cell rings of {{radic|2}}-edged tetrahedral cells. Each 8-cell ring twists either left or right around an axial octagram helix of eight chords. In each 16-cell there are exactly 6 distinct helices, identical octagrams which each circle through all eight vertices. Each acts as either a left helix or a right helix or a Petrie polygon in each of the six distinct isoclinic rotations (three left and three right), and has no inherent chirality except in respect to a particular rotation. Adjacent vertices on the octagram isoclines are {{radic|2}} = 90° apart, so the circumference of the isocline is 4𝝅. An ''isoclinic'' rotation by 90° in great square invariant planes takes each vertex to its antipodal vertex, four vertices away in either direction along the isocline, and {{radic|4}} = 180° distant across the diameter of the isocline.
Each of the 3 fibrations of the 24-cell's 18 great squares corresponds to a distinct left (and right) isoclinic rotation in great square invariant planes. Each 60° step of the rotation takes 6 disjoint great squares (2 from each 16-cell) to great squares in a neighboring 16-cell, on [[16-cell#Helical construction|8-chord helical isoclines characteristic of the 16-cell]].{{Efn|As [[16-cell#Helical construction|in the 16-cell, the isocline is an octagram]] which intersects only 8 vertices, even though the 24-cell has more vertices closer together than the 16-cell. The isocline curve misses the additional vertices in between. As in the 16-cell, the first vertex it intersects is {{radic|2}} away. The 24-cell employs more octagram isoclines (3 in parallel in each rotation) than the 16-cell does (1 in each rotation). The 3 helical isoclines are Clifford parallel;{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} they spiral around each other in a triple helix, with the disjoint helices' corresponding vertex pairs joined by {{radic|1}} {{=}} 60° chords. The triple helix of 3 isoclines contains 24 disjoint {{radic|2}} edges (6 disjoint great squares) and 24 vertices, and constitutes a discrete fibration of the 24-cell, just as the 4-cell ring does.|name=octagram isoclines}}
In the 24-cell, these 18 helical octagram isoclines can be found within the six orthogonal [[#4-cell rings|4-cell rings]] of octahedra. Each 4-cell ring has cells bonded vertex-to-vertex around a great square axis, and we find antipodal vertices at opposite vertices of the great square. A {{radic|4}} chord (the diameter of the great square and of the isocline) connects them. [[#Boundary cells|Boundary cells]] describes how the {{radic|2}} axes of the 24-cell's octahedral cells are the edges of the 16-cell's tetrahedral cells, each tetrahedron is inscribed in a (tesseract) cube, and each octahedron is inscribed in a pair of cubes (from different tesseracts), bridging them.{{Efn|name=octahedral diameters}} The vertex-bonded octahedra of the 4-cell ring also lie in different tesseracts.{{Efn|Two tesseracts share only vertices, not any edges, faces, cubes (with inscribed tetrahedra), or octahedra (whose central square planes are square faces of cubes). An octahedron that touches another octahedron at a vertex (but not at an edge or a face) is touching an octahedron in another tesseract, and a pair of adjacent cubes in the other tesseract whose common square face the octahedron spans, and a tetrahedron inscribed in each of those cubes.|name=vertex-bonded octahedra}} The isocline's four {{radic|4}} diameter chords form an [[W:Octagram#Star polygon compounds|octagram<sub>8{4}=4{2}</sub>]] with {{radic|4}} edges that each run from the vertex of one cube and octahedron and tetrahedron, to the vertex of another cube and octahedron and tetrahedron (in a different tesseract), straight through the center of the 24-cell on one of the 12 {{radic|4}} axes.
The octahedra in the 4-cell rings are vertex-bonded to more than two other octahedra, because three 4-cell rings (and their three axial great squares, which belong to different 16-cells) cross at 90° at each bonding vertex. At that vertex the octagram makes two right-angled turns at once: 90° around the great square, and 90° orthogonally into a different 4-cell ring entirely. The 180° four-edge arc joining two ends of each {{radic|4}} diameter chord of the octagram runs through the volumes and opposite vertices of two face-bonded {{radic|2}} tetrahedra (in the same 16-cell), which are also the opposite vertices of two vertex-bonded octahedra in different 4-cell rings (and different tesseracts). The [[W:Octagram|720° octagram]] isocline runs through 8 vertices of the four-cell ring and through the volumes of 16 tetrahedra. At each vertex, there are three great squares and six octagram isoclines (three black-white pairs) that cross at the vertex.{{Efn|name=completely orthogonal Clifford parallels are special}}
This is the characteristic rotation of the 16-cell, ''not'' the 24-cell's characteristic rotation, and it does not take whole 16-cells ''of the 24-cell'' to each other the way the [[#Helical hexagrams and their isoclines|24-cell's rotation in great hexagon planes]] does.{{Efn|The [[600-cell#Squares and 4𝝅 octagrams|600-cell's isoclinic rotation in great square planes]] takes whole 16-cells to other 16-cells in different 24-cells.}}
{| class="wikitable" width=610
!colspan=5|Five ways of looking at a [[W:Skew polygon|skew]] [[W:24-gon#Related polygons|24-gram]]
|-
![[16-cell#Rotations|Edge path]]
![[W:Petrie polygon|Petrie polygon]]s
![[600-cell#Squares and 4𝝅 octagrams|In a 600-cell]]
![[#Great squares|Discrete fibration]]
![[16-cell#Helical construction|Diameter chords]]
|-
![[16-cell#Helical construction|16-cells]]<sub>3{3/8}</sub>
![[W:Petrie polygon#The Petrie polygon of regular polychora (4-polytopes)|Dodecagons]]<sub>2{12}</sub>
![[W:24-gon#Related polygons|24-gram]]<sub>{24/5}</sub>
![[#Great squares|Squares]]<sub>6{4}</sub>
![[W:24-gon#Related polygons|<sub>{24/12}={12/2}</sub>]]
|-
|align=center|[[File:Regular_star_figure_3(8,3).svg|120px]]
|align=center|[[File:Regular_star_figure_2(12,1).svg|120px]]
|align=center|[[File:Regular_star_polygon_24-5.svg|120px]]
|align=center|[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|120px]]
|align=center|[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|120px]]
|-
|The 24-cell's three inscribed Clifford parallel 16-cells revealed as disjoint 8-point 4-polytopes with {{radic|2}} edges.{{Efn|name=octagram isoclines}}
|2 [[W:Skew polygon|skew polygon]]s of 12 {{radic|1}} edges each. The 24-cell can be decomposed into 2 disjoint zig-zag [[W:Dodecagon|dodecagon]]s (4 different ways).{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=292-293|loc=Table I(ii); 24-cell Petrie polygon ''h<sub>1</sub>'' is {12} }}
|In [[600-cell#Hexagons|compounds of 5 24-cells]], isoclines with [[600-cell#Golden chords|golden chords]] of length <big>φ</big> {{=}} {{radic|2.𝚽}} connect all 24-cells in [[600-cell#Squares and 4𝝅 octagrams|24-chord circuits]].{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=292-293|loc=Table I(ii); 24-cell Petrie polygon orthogonal ''h<sub>2</sub>'' is [[W:Dodecagon#Related figures|{12/5}]], half of [[W:24-gon#Related polygons|{24/5}]] as each Petrie polygon is half the 24-cell}}
|Their isoclinic rotation takes 6 Clifford parallel (disjoint) great squares with {{radic|2}} edges to each other.
|Two vertices four {{radic|2}} chords apart on the circular isocline are antipodal vertices joined by a {{radic|4}} axis.
|-
|colspan=5|Images by Tom Ruen in [[W:Triacontagon#Triacontagram|Triacontagram compounds and stars]].{{Sfn|Ruen: Triacontagon|2011|loc=§Triacontagram compounds and stars}}
|}
===Characteristic orthoscheme===
{| class="wikitable floatright"
!colspan=6|Characteristics of the 24-cell{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=292-293|loc=Table I(ii); "24-cell"}}
|-
!align=right|
!align=center|edge{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=139|loc=§7.9 The characteristic simplex}}
!colspan=2 align=center|arc
!colspan=2 align=center|dihedral{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=290|loc=Table I(ii); "dihedral angles"}}
|-
!align=right|𝒍
|align=center|<small><math>1</math></small>
|align=center|<small>60°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{3}</math></small>
|align=center|<small>120°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{2\pi}{3}</math></small>
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|-
!align=right|𝟀
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{3}} \approx 0.577</math></small>
|align=center|<small>45°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{4}</math></small>
|align=center|<small>45°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{4}</math></small>
|-
!align=right|𝝉{{Efn|{{Harv|Coxeter|1973}} uses the greek letter 𝝓 (phi) to represent one of the three ''characteristic angles'' 𝟀, 𝝓, 𝟁 of a regular polytope. Because 𝝓 is commonly used to represent the [[W:Golden ratio|golden ratio]] constant ≈ 1.618, for which Coxeter uses 𝝉 (tau), we reverse Coxeter's conventions, and use 𝝉 to represent the characteristic angle.|name=reversed greek symbols}}
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{4}} = 0.5</math></small>
|align=center|<small>30°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{6}</math></small>
|align=center|<small>60°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{3}</math></small>
|-
!align=right|𝟁
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{12}} \approx 0.289</math></small>
|align=center|<small>30°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{6}</math></small>
|align=center|<small>60°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{3}</math></small>
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|-
!align=right|<small><math>_0R^3/l</math></small>
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{2}} \approx 0.707</math></small>
|align=center|<small>45°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{4}</math></small>
|align=center|<small>90°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{2}</math></small>
|-
!align=right|<small><math>_1R^3/l</math></small>
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{4}} = 0.5</math></small>
|align=center|<small>30°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{6}</math></small>
|align=center|<small>90°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{2}</math></small>
|-
!align=right|<small><math>_2R^3/l</math></small>
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{6}} \approx 0.408</math></small>
|align=center|<small>30°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{6}</math></small>
|align=center|<small>90°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{2}</math></small>
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|-
!align=right|<small><math>_0R^4/l</math></small>
|align=center|<small><math>1</math></small>
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|-
!align=right|<small><math>_1R^4/l</math></small>
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{3}{4}} \approx 0.866</math></small>{{Efn|name=root 3/4}}
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|-
!align=right|<small><math>_2R^4/l</math></small>
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{2}{3}} \approx 0.816</math></small>
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
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|-
!align=right|<small><math>_3R^4/l</math></small>
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{2}} \approx 0.707</math></small>
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|}
Every regular 4-polytope has its [[W:Orthoscheme#Characteristic simplex of the general regular polytope|characteristic 4-orthoscheme]], an [[5-cell#Irregular 5-cells|irregular 5-cell]].{{Efn|name=characteristic orthoscheme}} The '''characteristic 5-cell of the regular 24-cell''' is represented by the [[W:Coxeter-Dynkin diagram|Coxeter-Dynkin diagram]] {{Coxeter–Dynkin diagram|node|3|node|4|node|3|node}}, which can be read as a list of the dihedral angles between its mirror facets.{{Efn|For a regular ''k''-polytope, the [[W:Coxeter-Dynkin diagram|Coxeter-Dynkin diagram]] of the characteristic ''k-''orthoscheme is the ''k''-polytope's diagram without the [[W:Coxeter-Dynkin diagram#Application with uniform polytopes|generating point ring]]. The regular ''k-''polytope is subdivided by its symmetry (''k''-1)-elements into ''g'' instances of its characteristic ''k''-orthoscheme that surround its center, where ''g'' is the ''order'' of the ''k''-polytope's [[W:Coxeter group|symmetry group]].{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=130-133|loc=§7.6 The symmetry group of the general regular polytope}}}} It is an irregular [[W:Hyperpyramid|tetrahedral pyramid]] based on the [[W:Octahedron#Characteristic orthoscheme|characteristic tetrahedron of the regular octahedron]]. The regular 24-cell is subdivided by its symmetry hyperplanes into 1152 instances of its characteristic 5-cell that all meet at its center.{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|pp=17-20|loc=§10 The Coxeter Classification of Four-Dimensional Point Groups}}
The characteristic 5-cell (4-orthoscheme) has four more edges than its base characteristic tetrahedron (3-orthoscheme), joining the four vertices of the base to its apex (the fifth vertex of the 4-orthoscheme, at the center of the regular 24-cell).{{Efn|The four edges of each 4-orthoscheme which meet at the center of the regular 4-polytope are of unequal length, because they are the four characteristic radii of the regular 4-polytope: a vertex radius, an edge center radius, a face center radius, and a cell center radius. The five vertices of the 4-orthoscheme always include one regular 4-polytope vertex, one regular 4-polytope edge center, one regular 4-polytope face center, one regular 4-polytope cell center, and the regular 4-polytope center. Those five vertices (in that order) comprise a path along four mutually perpendicular edges (that makes three right angle turns), the characteristic feature of a 4-orthoscheme. The 4-orthoscheme has five dissimilar 3-orthoscheme facets.|name=characteristic radii}} If the regular 24-cell has radius and edge length 𝒍 = 1, its characteristic 5-cell's ten edges have lengths <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{3}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{4}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{12}}</math></small> around its exterior right-triangle face (the edges opposite the ''characteristic angles'' 𝟀, 𝝉, 𝟁),{{Efn|name=reversed greek symbols}} plus <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{2}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{4}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{6}}</math></small> (the other three edges of the exterior 3-orthoscheme facet the characteristic tetrahedron, which are the ''characteristic radii'' of the octahedron), plus <small><math>1</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{3}{4}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{2}{3}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{2}}</math></small> (edges which are the characteristic radii of the 24-cell). The 4-edge path along orthogonal edges of the orthoscheme is <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{4}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{12}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{6}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{2}}</math></small>, first from a 24-cell vertex to a 24-cell edge center, then turning 90° to a 24-cell face center, then turning 90° to a 24-cell octahedral cell center, then turning 90° to the 24-cell center.
=== Reflections ===
The 24-cell can be [[#Tetrahedral constructions|constructed by the reflections of its characteristic 5-cell]] in its own facets (its tetrahedral mirror walls).{{Efn|The reflecting surface of a (3-dimensional) polyhedron consists of 2-dimensional faces; the reflecting surface of a (4-dimensional) [[W:Polychoron|polychoron]] consists of 3-dimensional cells.}} Reflections and rotations are related: a reflection in an ''even'' number of ''intersecting'' mirrors is a rotation.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=33-38|loc=§3.1 Congruent transformations}} Consequently, regular polytopes can be generated by reflections or by rotations. For example, any [[#Isoclinic rotations|720° isoclinic rotation]] of the 24-cell in a hexagonal invariant plane takes ''each'' of the 24 vertices to and through 5 other vertices and back to itself, on a skew [[#Helical hexagrams and their isoclines|hexagram<sub>2</sub> geodesic isocline]] that winds twice around the 3-sphere on every ''second'' vertex of the hexagram. Any set of [[#The 3 Cartesian bases of the 24-cell|four orthogonal pairs of antipodal vertices]] (the 8 vertices of one of the [[#Relationships among interior polytopes|three inscribed 16-cells]]) performing ''half'' such an orbit visits 3 * 8 = 24 distinct vertices and [[#Clifford parallel polytopes|generates the 24-cell]] sequentially in 3 steps of a single 360° isoclinic rotation, just as any single characteristic 5-cell reflecting itself in its own mirror walls generates the 24 vertices simultaneously by reflection.
Tracing the orbit of ''one'' such 16-cell vertex during the 360° isoclinic rotation reveals more about the relationship between reflections and rotations as generative operations.{{Efn|<blockquote>Let Q denote a rotation, R a reflection, T a translation, and let Q<sup>''q''</sup> R<sup>''r''</sup> T denote a product of several such transformations, all commutative with one another. Then RT is a glide-reflection (in two or three dimensions), QR is a rotary-reflection, QT is a screw-displacement, and Q<sup>2</sup> is a double rotation (in four dimensions).<br><br>Every orthogonal transformation is expressible as{{indent|12}}Q<sup>''q''</sup> R<sup>''r''</sup><br>where 2''q'' + ''r'' ≤ ''n'', the number of dimensions. Transformations involving a translation are expressible as{{indent|12}}Q<sup>''q''</sup> R<sup>''r''</sup> T<br>where 2''q'' + ''r'' + 1 ≤ ''n''.<br><br>For ''n'' {{=}} 4 in particular, every displacement is either a double rotation Q<sup>2</sup>, or a screw-displacement QT (where the rotation component Q is a simple rotation). Every enantiomorphous transformation in 4-space (reversing chirality) is a QRT.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=217-218|loc=§12.2 Congruent transformations}}</blockquote>|name=transformations}} The vertex follows an [[#Helical hexagrams and their isoclines|isocline]] (a doubly curved geodesic circle) rather than an ordinary great circle.{{Efn|name=360 degree geodesic path visiting 3 hexagonal planes}} The isocline connects vertices two edge lengths apart, but curves away from the great circle path over the two edges connecting those vertices, missing the vertex in between.{{Efn|name=isocline misses vertex}} Although the isocline does not follow any one great circle, it is contained within a ring of another kind: in the 24-cell it stays within a [[#6-cell rings|6-cell ring]] of spherical{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=138|ps=; "We allow the Schläfli symbol {p,..., v} to have three different meanings: a Euclidean polytope, a spherical polytope, and a spherical honeycomb. This need not cause any confusion, so long as the situation is frankly recognized. The differences are clearly seen in the concept of dihedral angle."}} octahedral cells, intersecting one vertex in each cell, and passing through the volume of two adjacent cells near the missed vertex.
=== Chiral symmetry operations ===
A [[W:Symmetry operation|symmetry operation]] is a rotation or reflection which leaves the object indistinguishable from itself before the transformation. The 24-cell has 1152 distinct symmetry operations (576 rotations and 576 reflections). Each rotation is equivalent to two [[#Reflections|reflections]], in a distinct pair of non-parallel mirror planes.{{Efn|name=transformations}}
Pictured are sets of disjoint [[#Geodesics|great circle polygons]], each in a distinct central plane of the 24-cell. For example, {24/4}=4{6} is an orthogonal projection of the 24-cell picturing 4 of its [16] great hexagon planes.{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}} The 4 planes lie Clifford parallel to the projection plane and to each other, and their great polygons collectively constitute a discrete [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]] of 4 non-intersecting great circles which visit all 24 vertices just once.
Each row of the table describes a class of distinct rotations. Each '''rotation class''' takes the '''left planes''' pictured to the corresponding '''right planes''' pictured.{{Efn|The left planes are Clifford parallel, and the right planes are Clifford parallel; each set of planes is a fibration. Each left plane is Clifford parallel to its corresponding right plane in an isoclinic rotation,{{Efn|In an ''isoclinic'' rotation each invariant plane is Clifford parallel to the plane it moves to, and they do not intersect at any time (except at the central point). In a ''simple'' rotation the invariant plane intersects the plane it moves to in a line, and moves to it by rotating around that line.|name=plane movement in rotations}} but the two sets of planes are not all mutually Clifford parallel; they are different fibrations, except in table rows where the left and right planes are the same set.}} The vertices of the moving planes move in parallel along the polygonal '''isocline''' paths pictured. For example, the <math>[32]R_{q7,q8}</math> rotation class consists of [32] distinct rotational displacements by an arc-distance of {{sfrac|2𝝅|3}} = 120° between 16 great hexagon planes represented by quaternion group <math>q7</math> and a corresponding set of 16 great hexagon planes represented by quaternion group <math>q8</math>.{{Efn|A quaternion group <math>\pm{q_n}</math> corresponds to a distinct set of Clifford parallel great circle polygons, e.g. <math>q7</math> corresponds to a set of four disjoint great hexagons.{{Efn|[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|thumb|200px|The 24-cell as a compound of four non-intersecting great hexagons {24/4}=4{6}.]]There are 4 sets of 4 disjoint great hexagons in the 24-cell (of a total of [16] distinct great hexagons), designated <math>q7</math>, <math>-q7</math>, <math>q8</math> and <math>-q8</math>.{{Efn|name=union of q7 and q8}} Each named set of 4 Clifford parallel{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} hexagons comprises a [[#Chiral symmetry operations|discrete fibration]] covering all 24 vertices.|name=four hexagonal fibrations}} Note that <math>q_n</math> and <math>-{q_n}</math> generally are distinct sets. The corresponding vertices of the <math>q_n</math> planes and the <math>-{q_n}</math> planes are 180° apart.{{Efn|name=two angles between central planes}}|name=quaternion group}} One of the [32] distinct rotations of this class moves the representative [[#Great hexagons|vertex coordinate]] <math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math> to the vertex coordinate <math>(\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2})</math>.{{Efn|A quaternion Cartesian coordinate designates a vertex joined to a ''top vertex'' by one instance of a [[#Hypercubic chords|distinct chord]]. The conventional top vertex of a [[#Great hexagons|unit radius 4-polytope]] in standard (vertex-up) orientation is <math>(0,0,1,0)</math>, the Cartesian "north pole". Thus e.g. <math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math> designates a {{radic|1}} chord of 60° arc-length. Each such distinct chord is an edge of a distinct [[#Geodesics|great circle polygon]], in this example a [[#Great hexagons|great hexagon]], intersecting the north and south poles. Great circle polygons occur in sets of Clifford parallel central planes, each set of disjoint great circles comprising a discrete [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]] that intersects every vertex just once. One great circle polygon in each set intersects the north and south poles. This quaternion coordinate <math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math> is thus representative of the 4 disjoint great hexagons pictured, a quaternion group{{Efn|name=quaternion group}} which comprise one distinct fibration of the [16] great hexagons (four fibrations of great hexagons) that occur in the 24-cell.{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}}|name=north pole relative coordinate}}
{| class=wikitable style="white-space:nowrap;text-align:center"
!colspan=15|Proper [[W:SO(4)|rotations]] of the 24-cell [[W:F4 (mathematics)|symmetry group ''F<sub>4</sub>'']]{{Sfn|Mamone|Pileio|Levitt|2010|loc=§4.5 Regular Convex 4-Polytopes, Table 2, Symmetry operations|pp=1438-1439}}
|-
!Isocline{{Efn|An ''isocline'' is the circular geodesic path taken by a vertex that lies in an invariant plane of rotation, during a complete revolution. In an [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]] every vertex lies in an invariant plane of rotation, and the isocline it rotates on is a helical geodesic circle that winds through all four dimensions, not a simple geodesic great circle in the plane. In a [[#Simple rotations|simple rotation]] there is only one invariant plane of rotation, and each vertex that lies in it rotates on a simple geodesic great circle in the plane. Both the helical geodesic isocline of an isoclinic rotation and the simple geodesic isocline of a simple rotation are great circles, but to avoid confusion between them we generally reserve the term ''isocline'' for the former, and reserve the term ''great circle'' for the latter, an ordinary great circle in the plane. Strictly, however, the latter is an isocline of circumference <math>2\pi r</math>, and the former is an isocline of circumference greater than <math>2\pi r</math>.{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}}|name=isocline}}
!colspan=4|Rotation class{{Efn|Each class of rotational displacements (each table row) corresponds to a distinct rigid left (and right) [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]] in multiple invariant planes concurrently.{{Efn|name=invariant planes of an isoclinic rotation}} The '''Isocline''' is the path followed by a vertex,{{Efn|name=isocline}} which is a helical geodesic circle that does not lie in any one central plane. Each rotational displacement takes one invariant '''Left plane''' to the corresponding invariant '''Right plane''', with all the left (or right) displacements taking place concurrently.{{Efn|name=plane movement in rotations}} Each left plane is separated from the corresponding right plane by two equal angles,{{Efn|name=two angles between central planes}} each equal to one half of the arc-angle by which each vertex is displaced (the angle and distance that appears in the '''Rotation class''' column).|name=isoclinic rotation}}
!colspan=5|Left planes <math>ql</math>{{Efn|In an [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]], all the '''Left planes''' move together, remain Clifford parallel while moving, and carry all their points with them to the '''Right planes''' as they move: they are invariant planes.{{Efn|name=plane movement in rotations}} Because the left (and right) set of central polygons are a fibration covering all the vertices, every vertex is a point carried along in an invariant plane.|name=invariant planes of an isoclinic rotation}}
!colspan=5|Right planes <math>qr</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/8}=4{6/2}]]{{Efn|In this orthogonal projection of the 24-point 24-cell to a [[W:Dodecagon#Related figures|{12/4}=4{3} dodecagram]], each point represents two vertices, and each line represents multiple {{radic|3}} chords. Each disjoint triangle can be seen as a skew {6/2} [[W:Hexagram|hexagram]] with {{radic|3}} edges: two open skew triangles with their opposite ends connected in a [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius loop]] with a circumference of 4𝝅. The hexagram projects to a single triangle in two dimensions because it skews through all four dimensions. Those 4 disjoint skew [[#Helical hexagrams and their isoclines|hexagram isoclines]] are the Clifford parallel circular vertex paths of the fibration's characteristic left (and right) [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]].{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} The 4 Clifford parallel great hexagons of the fibration are invariant planes of this rotation. The great hexagons rotate in incremental displacements of 60° like wheels ''and'' 60° orthogonally like coins flipping, displacing each vertex by 120°, as their vertices move along parallel helical isocline paths through successive Clifford parallel hexagon planes.{{Efn|Each hexagon rides on only three skew hexagram isoclines, not six, because opposite vertices of each hexagon ride on opposing rails of the same Clifford hexagram, in the same (not opposite) rotational direction.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}}}} Alternatively, the 4 triangles can be seen as 8 disjoint triangles: 4 pairs of Clifford parallel [[#Great triangles|great triangles]], where two opposing great triangles lie in the same [[#Great hexagons|great hexagon central plane]], so a fibration of 4 Clifford parallel great hexagon planes is represented.{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}} This illustrates that the 4 hexagram isoclines also correspond to a distinct fibration, in fact the ''same'' fibration as 4 great hexagons.|name=hexagram}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(3,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7,q8}</math><br>[16] 4𝝅 {6/2}
|colspan=4|<math>[32]R_{q7,q8}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[32]R_{q7,q8}</math> isoclinic rotation in great hexagon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex two vertices away (120° {{=}} {{radic|3}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left hexagon rotates 60° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 60° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right hexagon plane. Repeated 6 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq7,q8}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>{{Efn|name=north pole relative coordinate}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/8}=4{6/2}]]{{Efn|In this orthogonal projection of the 24-point 24-cell to a [[W:Dodecagon#Related figures|{12/4}=4{3} dodecagram]], each point represents two vertices, and each line represents multiple {{radic|3}} chords. The 4 triangles can be seen as 8 disjoint triangles: 4 pairs of Clifford parallel [[#Great triangles|great triangles]], where two opposing great triangles lie in the same [[#Great hexagons|great hexagon central plane]], so a fibration of 4 Clifford parallel great hexagon planes is represented, as in the 4 left planes of this rotation class (table row).{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}}|name=great triangles}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(3,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q8}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|{{sfrac|2𝝅|3}}
|120°
|{{radic|3}}
|1.732~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|2𝝅|3}}
|120°
|{{radic|3}}
|1.732~
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/2}=2{12}]]{{Efn|In this orthogonal projection of the 24-point 24-cell to a [[W:Dodecagon#Related figures|{12/2}=2{6} dodecagram]], each point represents two vertices, and each line represents multiple 24-cell edges. Each disjoint hexagon can be seen as a skew {12} [[W:Dodecagon|dodecagon]], a Petrie polygon of the 24-cell, by viewing it as two open skew hexagons with their opposite ends connected in a [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius loop]] with a circumference of 4𝝅. The dodecagon projects to a single hexagon in two dimensions because it skews through all four dimensions. Those 2 disjoint skew dodecagons are the Clifford parallel circular vertex paths of the fibration's characteristic left (and right) [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]].{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} The 4 Clifford parallel great hexagons of the fibration are invariant planes of this rotation. The great hexagons rotate in incremental displacements of 30° like wheels ''and'' 30° orthogonally like coins flipping, displacing each vertex by 60°, as their vertices move along parallel helical isocline paths through successive Clifford parallel hexagon planes.{{Efn|Each hexagon rides on only two parallel dodecagon isoclines, not six, because only alternate vertices of each hexagon ride on different dodecagon rails; the three vertices of each great triangle inscribed in the great hexagon occupy the same dodecagon Petrie polygon, four vertices apart, and they circulate on that isocline.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}}}} Alternatively, the 2 hexagons can be seen as 4 disjoint hexagons: 2 pairs of Clifford parallel great hexagons, so a fibration of 4 Clifford parallel great hexagon planes is represented.{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}} This illustrates that the 2 dodecagon isoclines also correspond to a distinct fibration, in fact the ''same'' fibration as 4 great hexagons.|name=dodecagon}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_2(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7,-q8}</math><br>[16] 4𝝅 {12}
|colspan=4|<math>[32]R_{q7,-q8}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[32]R_{q7,-q8}</math> isoclinic rotation in great hexagon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex one vertex away (60° {{=}} {{radic|1}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices.{{Efn|At the mid-point of the isocline arc (30° away) it passes directly over the mid-point of a 24-cell edge.}} Each left hexagon rotates 30° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 30° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right hexagon plane. Repeated 12 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq7,-q8}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{-q8}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(-\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/1}={24}]]<br>[[File:Regular_polygon_24.svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7,q7}</math><br>[16] 4𝝅 {1}
|colspan=4|<math>[32]R_{q7,q7}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[32]R_{q7,q7}</math> isoclinic rotation in great hexagon invariant planes takes each vertex through a 360° rotation and back to itself (360° {{=}} {{radic|0}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left hexagon rotates 180° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 180° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right hexagon plane. Repeated 2 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq7,q7}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|2𝝅
|360°
|{{radic|0}}
|0
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7,-q7}</math><br>[16] 4𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>[32]R_{q7,-q7}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[32]R_{q7,-q7}</math> isoclinic rotation in hexagon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex three vertices away (180° {{=}} {{radic|4}} away),{{Efn|name=quaternion group}} without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left hexagon rotates 90° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 90° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right hexagon plane. Repeated 4 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq7,-q7}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/8}=4{6/2}]]{{Efn|name=great triangles}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(3,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{-q7}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(-\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|𝝅
|180°
|{{radic|4}}
|2
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|2𝝅|3}}
|120°
|{{radic|3}}
|1.732~
|- style="background: #E6FFEE;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/2}=2{12}]]{{Efn|name=dodecagon}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_2(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7,q1}</math><br>[8] 4𝝅 {12}
|colspan=4|<math>[16]R_{q7,q1}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[16]R_{q7,q1}</math> isoclinic rotation in great hexagon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex one vertex away (60° {{=}} {{radic|1}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left hexagon rotates 30° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 30° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right square plane.{{Efn|This ''hybrid isoclinic rotation'' carries the two kinds of [[#Geodesics|central planes]] to each other: great square planes [[16-cell#Coordinates|characteristic of the 16-cell]] and great hexagon (great triangle) planes [[#Great hexagons|characteristic of the 24-cell]].{{Efn|The edges and 4𝝅 characteristic [[16-cell#Rotations|rotations of the 16-cell]] lie in the great square central planes. Rotations of this type are an expression of the [[W:Hyperoctahedral group|<math>B_4</math> symmetry group]]. The edges and 4𝝅 characteristic [[#Rotations|rotations of the 24-cell]] lie in the great hexagon (great triangle) central planes. Rotations of this type are an expression of the [[W:F4 (mathematics)|<math>F_4</math> symmetry group]].|name=edge rotation planes}} This is possible because some great hexagon planes lie Clifford parallel to some great square planes.{{Efn|Two great circle polygons either intersect in a common axis, or they are Clifford parallel (isoclinic) and share no vertices.{{Efn||name=two angles between central planes}} Three great squares and four great hexagons intersect at each 24-cell vertex. Each great hexagon intersects 9 distinct great squares, 3 in each of its 3 axes, and lies Clifford parallel to the other 9 great squares. Each great square intersects 8 distinct great hexagons, 4 in each of its 2 axes, and lies Clifford parallel to the other 8 great hexagons.|name=hybrid isoclinic planes}}|name=hybrid isoclinic rotation}} Repeated 12 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq7,q1}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[8] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]{{Efn|[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|thumb|200px|The 24-cell as a compound of six non-intersecting great squares {24/6}=6{4}.]]There are 3 sets of 6 disjoint great squares in the 24-cell (of a total of [18] distinct great squares),{{Efn|The 24-cell has 18 great squares, in 3 disjoint sets of 6 mutually orthogonal great squares comprising a 16-cell.{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}} Within each 16-cell are 3 sets of 2 completely orthogonal great squares, so each great square is disjoint not only from all the great squares in the other two 16-cells, but also from one other great square in the same 16-cell. Each great square is disjoint from 13 others, and shares two vertices (an axis) with 4 others (in the same 16-cell).|name=unions of q1 q2 q3}} designated <math>\pm q1</math>, <math>\pm q2</math>, and <math>\pm q3</math>. Each named set{{Efn|Because in the 24-cell each great square is completely orthogonal to another great square, the quaternion groups <math>q1</math> and <math>-{q1}</math> (for example) correspond to the same set of great square planes. That distinct set of 6 disjoint great squares <math>\pm q1</math> has two names, used in the left (or right) rotational context, because it constitutes both a left and a right fibration of great squares.|name=two quaternion group names for square fibrations}} of 6 Clifford parallel{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} squares comprises a [[#Chiral symmetry operations|discrete fibration]] covering all 24 vertices.|name=three square fibrations}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q1}</math><br>[8] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(1,0,0,0)</math>
|- style="background: #E6FFEE;{{text color default}};"|
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: #E6FFEE;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/8}=4{6/2}]]{{Efn|name=hexagram}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(3,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7,-q1}</math><br>[8] 4𝝅 {6/2}
|colspan=4|<math>[16]R_{q7,-q1}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[16]R_{q7,-q1}</math> isoclinic rotation in hexagon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex two vertices away (120° {{=}} {{radic|3}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left hexagon rotates 60° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 60° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right square plane.{{Efn|name=hybrid isoclinic rotation}} Repeated 6 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq7,-q1}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[8] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{-q1}</math><br>[8] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(-1,0,0,0)</math>
|- style="background: #E6FFEE;{{text color default}};"|
|{{sfrac|2𝝅|3}}
|120°
|{{radic|3}}
|1.732~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/1}={24}]]<br>[[File:Regular_polygon_24.svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q6,q6}</math><br>[18] 4𝝅 {1}
|colspan=4|<math>[36]R_{q6,q6}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[36]R_{q6,q6}</math> isoclinic rotation in great square invariant planes takes each vertex through a 360° rotation and back to itself (360° {{=}} {{radic|0}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left square rotates 180° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 180° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right square plane. Repeated 2 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq6,q6}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q6}</math><br>[18] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math>{{Efn|The representative coordinate <math>(\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math> is not a vertex of the unit-radius 24-cell in standard (vertex-up) orientation, it is the center of an octahedral cell. Some of the 24-cell's lines of symmetry (Coxeter's "reflecting circles") run through cell centers rather than through vertices, and quaternion group <math>q6</math> corresponds to a set of those. However, <math>q6</math> also corresponds to the set of great squares pictured, which lie orthogonal to those cells (completely disjoint from the cell).{{Efn|A quaternion Cartesian coordinate designates a vertex joined to a ''top vertex'' by one instance of a [[#Hypercubic chords|distinct chord]]. The conventional top vertex of a [[#Great hexagons|unit radius 4-polytope]] in ''cell-first'' orientation is <math>(0,0,\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2})</math>. Thus e.g. <math>(\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math> designates a {{radic|2}} chord of 90° arc-length. Each such distinct chord is an edge of a distinct [[#Geodesics|great circle polygon]], in this example a [[#Great squares|great square]], intersecting the top vertex. Great circle polygons occur in sets of Clifford parallel central planes, each set of disjoint great circles comprising a discrete [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]] that intersects every vertex just once. One great circle polygon in each set intersects the top vertex. This quaternion coordinate <math>(\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math> is thus representative of the 6 disjoint great squares pictured, a quaternion group{{Efn|name=quaternion group}} which comprise one distinct fibration of the [18] great squares (three fibrations of great squares) that occur in the 24-cell.{{Efn|name=three square fibrations}}|name=north cell relative coordinate}}|name=lines of symmetry}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q6}</math><br>[18] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|2𝝅
|360°
|{{radic|0}}
|0
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q6,-q6}</math><br>[18] 4𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>[36]R_{q6,-q6}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[36]R_{q6,-q6}</math> isoclinic rotation in great square invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex 180° {{=}} {{radic|4}} away,{{Efn|name=quaternion group}} without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left square rotates 90° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 90° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right square, ''which in this rotation is the completely orthogonal plane''. Repeated 4 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq6,-q6}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q6}</math><br>[18] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{-q6}</math><br>[18] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(-\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},-\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|𝝅
|180°
|{{radic|4}}
|2
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/9}=3{8/3}]]{{Efn|In this orthogonal projection of the 24-point 24-cell to a [[W:Dodecagon#Related figures|{12/3}{{=}}3{4} dodecagram]], each point represents two vertices, and each line represents multiple {{radic|2}} chords. Each disjoint square can be seen as a skew {8/3} [[W:Octagram|octagram]] with {{radic|2}} edges: two open skew squares with their opposite ends connected in a [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius loop]] with a circumference of 4𝝅, visible in the {24/9}{{=}}3{8/3} orthogonal projection.{{Efn|[[File:Regular_star_figure_3(8,3).svg|thumb|200px|Icositetragon {24/9}{{=}}3{8/3} is a compound of three octagrams {8/3}, as the 24-cell is a compound of three 16-cells.]]This orthogonal projection of a 24-cell to a 24-gram {24/9}{{=}}3{8/3} exhibits 3 disjoint [[16-cell#Helical construction|octagram {8/3} isoclines of a 16-cell]], each of which is a circular isocline path through the 8 vertices of one of the 3 disjoint 16-cells inscribed in the 24-cell.}} The octagram projects to a single square in two dimensions because it skews through all four dimensions. Those 3 disjoint [[16-cell#Helical construction|skew octagram isoclines]] are the circular vertex paths characteristic of an [[#Helical octagrams and their isoclines|isoclinic rotation in great square planes]], in which the 6 Clifford parallel great squares are invariant rotation planes. The great squares rotate 90° like wheels ''and'' 90° orthogonally like coins flipping, displacing each vertex by 180°, so each vertex exchanges places with its antipodal vertex. Each octagram isocline circles through the 8 vertices of a disjoint 16-cell. Alternatively, the 3 squares can be seen as a fibration of 6 Clifford parallel squares.{{Efn|name=three square fibrations}} This illustrates that the 3 octagram isoclines also correspond to a distinct fibration, in fact the ''same'' fibration as 6 squares.|name=octagram}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_3(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q6,-q4}</math><br>[72] 4𝝅 {8/3}
|colspan=4|<math>[144]R_{q6,-q4}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[144]R_{q6,-q4}</math> isoclinic rotation in great square invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex 90° {{=}} {{radic|2}} away, without passing through any intervening vertices.{{Efn|At the mid-point of the isocline arc (45° away) it passes directly over the mid-point of a 24-cell edge.}} Each left square rotates 45° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 45° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right square plane. Repeated 8 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq6,-q4}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q6}</math><br>[72] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{-q4}</math><br>[72] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(0,0,-\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},-\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2})</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|𝝅
|180°
|{{radic|4}}
|2
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/1}={24}]]<br>[[File:Regular_polygon_24.svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q4,q4}</math><br>[36] 4𝝅 {1}
|colspan=4|<math>[72]R_{q4,q4}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[72]R_{q4,q4}</math> isoclinic rotation in great square invariant planes takes each vertex through a 360° rotation and back to itself (360° {{=}} {{radic|0}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left square rotates 180° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 180° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right square plane. Repeated 2 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq4,q4}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q4}</math><br>[36] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(0,0,\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2})</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q4}</math><br>[36] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(0,0,\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2})</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|2𝝅
|360°
|{{radic|0}}
|0
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: #E6FFEE;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/2}=2{12}]]{{Efn|name=dodecagon}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_2(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q2,q7}</math><br>[48] 4𝝅 {12}
|colspan=4|<math>[96]R_{q2,q7}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[96]R_{q2,q7}</math> isoclinic rotation in great hexagon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex one vertex away (60° {{=}} {{radic|1}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left square rotates 30° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 30° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right hexagon plane.{{Efn|name=hybrid isoclinic rotation}} Repeated 12 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq2,q7}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q2}</math><br>[48] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(0,0,0,1)</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[48] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|- style="background: #E6FFEE;{{text color default}};"|
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q2,-q2}</math><br>[9] 4𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>[18]R_{q2,-q2}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[18]R_{q2,-q2}</math> isoclinic rotation in great square invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex 180° {{=}} {{radic|4}} away,{{Efn|name=quaternion group}} without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left square rotates 90° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 90° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right square plane, ''which in this rotation is the completely orthogonal plane''. Repeated 4 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq2,-q2}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q2}</math><br>[9] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(0,0,0,1)</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{-q2}</math><br>[9] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(0,0,0,-1)</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|𝝅
|180°
|{{radic|4}}
|2
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q2,q1}</math><br>[12] 4𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>[12]R_{q2,q1}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[12]R_{q2,q1}</math> isoclinic rotation in great digon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex 90° {{=}} {{radic|2}} away, without passing through any intervening vertices.{{Efn|At the mid-point of the isocline arc (45° away) it passes directly over the mid-point of a 24-cell edge.}} Each left digon rotates 45° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 45° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right digon plane. Repeated 8 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq2,q1}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q2}</math><br>[12] 2𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>(0,0,0,1)</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q1}</math><br>[12] 2𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>(1,0,0,0)</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/1}={24}]]<br>[[File:Regular_polygon_24.svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q1,q1}</math><br>[0] 0𝝅 {1}
|colspan=4|<math>[1]R_{q1,q1}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[1]R_{q1,q1}</math> rotation is the ''identity operation'' of the 24-cell, in which no points move.|name=Rq1,q1}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q1}</math><br>[0] 2𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>(1,0,0,0)</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q1}</math><br>[0] 2𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>(1,0,0,0)</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|0
|0°
|{{radic|0}}
|0
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q1,-q1}</math><br>[12] 2𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>[1]R_{q1,-q1}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[1]R_{q1,-q1}</math> rotation is the ''central inversion'' of the 24-cell. This isoclinic rotation in great digon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex 180° {{=}} {{radic|4}} away,{{Efn|name=quaternion group}} without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left digon rotates 90° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 90° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right digon plane, ''which in this rotation is the completely orthogonal plane''. Repeated 4 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq1,-q1}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q1}</math><br>[12] 2𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>(1,0,0,0)</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{-q1}</math><br>[12] 2𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>(-1,0,0,0)</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|𝝅
|180°
|{{radic|4}}
|2
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|-
|colspan=15|Images by Tom Ruen in [[W:Triacontagon#Triacontagram|Triacontagram compounds and stars]].{{Sfn|Ruen: Triacontagon|2011|loc=§Triacontagram compounds and stars}}
|}
In a rotation class <math>[d]{R_{ql,qr}}</math> each quaternion group <math>\pm{q_n}</math> may be representative not only of its own fibration of Clifford parallel planes{{Efn|name=quaternion group}} but also of the other congruent fibrations.{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}} For example, rotation class <math>[4]R_{q7,q8}</math> takes the 4 hexagon planes of <math>q7</math> to the 4 hexagon planes of <math>q8</math> which are 120° away, in an isoclinic rotation. But in a rigid rotation of this kind,{{Efn|name=invariant planes of an isoclinic rotation}} all [16] hexagon planes move in congruent rotational displacements, so this rotation class also includes <math>[4]R_{-q7,-q8}</math>, <math>[4]R_{q8,q7}</math> and <math>[4]R_{-q8,-q7}</math>. The name <math>[16]R_{q7,q8}</math> is the conventional representation for all [16] congruent plane displacements.
These rotation classes are all subclasses of <math>[32]R_{q7,q8}</math> which has [32] distinct rotational displacements rather than [16] because there are two [[W:Chiral|chiral]] ways to perform any class of rotations, designated its ''left rotations'' and its ''right rotations''. The [16] left displacements of this class are not congruent with the [16] right displacements, but enantiomorphous like a pair of shoes.{{Efn|A ''right rotation'' is performed by rotating the left and right planes in the "same" direction, and a ''left rotation'' is performed by rotating left and right planes in "opposite" directions, according to the [[W:Right hand rule|right hand rule]] by which we conventionally say which way is "up" on each of the 4 coordinate axes. Left and right rotations are [[W:chiral|chiral]] enantiomorphous ''shapes'' (like a pair of shoes), not opposite rotational ''directions''. Both left and right rotations can be performed in either the positive or negative rotational direction (from left planes to right planes, or right planes to left planes), but that is an additional distinction.{{Efn|name=clasped hands}}|name=chirality versus direction}} Each left (or right) isoclinic rotation takes [16] left planes to [16] right planes, but the left and right planes correspond differently in the left and right rotations. The left and right rotational displacements of the same left plane take it to different right planes.
Each rotation class (table row) describes a distinct left (and right) [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]]. The left (or right) rotations carry the left planes to the right planes simultaneously,{{Efn|name=plane movement in rotations}} through a characteristic rotation angle.{{Efn|name=two angles between central planes}} For example, the <math>[32]R_{q7,q8}</math> rotation moves all [16] hexagonal planes at once by {{sfrac|2𝝅|3}} = 120° each. Repeated 6 times, this left (or right) isoclinic rotation moves each plane 720° and back to itself in the same [[W:Orientation entanglement|orientation]], passing through all 4 planes of the <math>q7</math> left set and all 4 planes of the <math>q8</math> right set once each.{{Efn|The <math>\pm q7</math> and <math>\pm q8</math> sets of planes are not disjoint; the union of any two of these four sets is a set of 6 planes. The left (versus right) isoclinic rotation of each of these rotation classes (table rows) visits a distinct left (versus right) circular sequence of the same set of 6 Clifford parallel planes.|name=union of q7 and q8}} The picture in the isocline column represents this union of the left and right plane sets. In the <math>[32]R_{q7,q8}</math> example it can be seen as a set of 4 Clifford parallel skew [[W:Hexagram|hexagram]]s, each having one edge in each great hexagon plane, and skewing to the left (or right) at each vertex throughout the left (or right) isoclinic rotation.{{Efn|name=clasped hands}}
== Conclusions ==
Very few if any of the observations made in this paper are original, as I hope the citations demonstrate, but some new terminology has been introduced in making them. The term '''radially equilateral''' describes a uniform polytope with its edge length equal to its long radius, because such polytopes can be constructed, with their long radii, from equilateral triangles which meet at the center, each contributing two radii and an edge. The use of the noun '''isocline''', for the circular geodesic path traced by a vertex of a 4-polytope undergoing [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]], may also be new in this context. The chord-path of an isocline may be called the 4-polytope's '''Clifford polygon''', as it is the skew polygonal shape of the rotational circles traversed by the 4-polytope's vertices in its characteristic [[W:Clifford displacement|Clifford displacement]].{{Sfn|Tyrrell|Semple|1971|loc=Linear Systems of Clifford Parallels|pp=34-57}}
== Acknowledgements ==
This paper is an extract of a [[24-cell|24-cell article]] collaboratively developed by Wikipedia editors. This version contains only those sections of the Wikipedia article which I authored, or which I completely rewrote. I have removed those sections principally authored by other Wikipedia editors, and illustrations and tables which I did not create myself, except for three indispensible rotating animations, one created by Greg Egan and two by Wikipedia illustrator [[Wikipedia:User:JasonHise|JasonHise (Jason Hise)]], which I have retained with attribution. Those images and others which appear in my tables and footnotes{{Efn|I am the author of the footnotes to this article, except for quotations and images they contain.}} are from Wikimedia Commons, with attributions; most were created by Wikipedia editor and illustrator [[W:User:Tomruen|Tomruen (Tom Ruen)]]. Consequently, this version is not a complete treatment of the 24-cell; it is missing some essential topics, and it is inadequately illustrated. As a subset of the collaboratively developed [[24-cell|24-cell article]] from which it was extracted, it is intended to gather in one place just what I have personally authored. Even so, it contains small fragments of which I am not the original author, and many editorial improvements by other Wikipedia editors. The original provenance of any sentence in this document may be ascertained precisely by consulting the complete revision history of the [[Wikipedia:24-cell]] article, in which I am identified as Wikipedia editor [[Wikipedia:User:Dc.samizdat|Dc.samizdat]].
Since I came to my own understanding of the 24-cell slowly, in the course of making additions to the [[Wikipedia:24-cell]] article, I am greatly indebted to the Wikipedia editors whose work on it preceded mine. Chief among these is Wikipedia editor [[W:User:Tomruen|Tomruen (Tom Ruen)]], the original author and principal illustrator of a great many of the Wikipedia articles on polytopes. The 24-cell article that I began with was already more accessible, to me, than even Coxeter's ''[[W:Regular Polytopes|Regular Polytopes]]'', or any other source treating the subject. I was inspired by the existence of Wikipedia articles on the 4-polytopes to study them more closely, and then became convinced by my own experience exploring this hypertext that the 4-polytopes could be understood most readily, and could be documented most engagingly and comprehensively, if everything that researchers have discovered about them were incorporated into a single encyclopedic hypertext. Well-illustrated hypertext seems naturally the most appropriate medium in which to describe a hyperspace, such as Euclidean 4-space. Another essential contributor to my dawning comprehension of 4-dimensional geometry was Wikipedia editor [[W:User:Cloudswrest|Cloudswrest (A.P. Goucher)]], who authored the section of the [[Wikipedia:24-cell]] article entitled ''[[24-cell#Cell rings|Cell rings]]'' describing the torus decomposition of the 24-cell into rings forming discrete Hopf fibrations, also studied by Banchoff.{{Sfn|Banchoff|2013|ps=, studied the decomposition of regular 4-polytopes into honeycombs of tori tiling the [[W:Clifford torus|Clifford torus]], showed how the honeycombs correspond to [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]]s, and made a particular study of the [[#6-cell rings|24-cell's 4 rings of 6 octahedral cells]] with illustrations.}} Finally, J.E. Mebius's definitive Wikipedia article on ''[[W:SO(4)|SO(4)]]'', the group of ''[[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space]]'', informs this entire paper, which is essentially an explanation of the 24-cell's geometry as a function of its isoclinic rotations.
== Future work ==
This paper is part of the evolving [[Polyscheme#Polyscheme project articles|Polyscheme collection of articles]] hosted at Wikiversity by the [[Polyscheme]] learning project.
The encyclopedia [[Wikipedia:Main_page|Wikipedia]] is not the only appropriate hypertext medium in which to explore and document the fourth dimension. Wikipedia rightly publishes only knowledge that can be sourced to previously published authorities. An encyclopedia cannot function as a research journal, in which is documented the broad, evolving edge of a field of knowledge, well before the observations made there have settled into a consensus of accepted facts. Moreover, an encyclopedia article must not become a textbook, or attempt to be the definitive whole story on a topic, or have too many footnotes! At some point in my enlargement of the [[Wikipedia:24-cell]] article, it began to transgress upon these limits, and other Wikipedia editors began to prune it back, appropriately for an encyclopedia article. I therefore sought out a home for an expanded, more-than-encyclopedic version of it and the other 4-polytope articles I was engaged in editing, where they could be enlarged by active researchers, beyond the scope of the Wikipedia encyclopedia articles.
Fortunately [[Main_page|Wikiversity]] provides just such a medium: an alternate hypertext web compatible with Wikipedia, but without the constraint of consisting of encyclopedia articles alone. A non-profit collaborative space for students, educators and researchers, Wikiversity hosts all kinds of hypertext learning resources, such as hypertext textbooks which enlarge upon topics covered by Wikipedia, and research journals covering various fields of study which accept papers for peer review and publication. A hypertext article hosted at Wikiversity may contain links to any Wikipedia or Wikiversity article. This paper, for example, is hosted at Wikiversity, but most of its links are to Wikipedia encyclopedia articles.
Three consistent versions of the 24-cell article now exist, including this paper. The most complete version is the expanded [[24-cell#24-cell|24-cell article hosted at Wikiversity]] as part of the [[w:Polyscheme|Polyscheme research project]], which includes everything in the other two versions except these acknowledgments, plus additional learning resources. The original encyclopedia version, the [[Wikipedia:24-cell]] article, should rightly be an abridged version of that expanded Wikiversity [[24-cell]] article, from which extra content inappropriate for an encyclopedia article has been excluded.
== Notes ==
{{Regular convex 4-polytopes Notelist|wiki=W:}}
== Citations ==
{{Regular convex 4-polytopes Reflist|wiki=W:}}
== References ==
{{Refbegin}}
{{Regular convex 4-polytopes Refs|wiki=W:}}
* {{Citation|author-last=Hise|author-first=Jason|date=2011|author-link=W:User:JasonHise|title=A 3D projection of a 24-cell performing a simple rotation|title-link=Wikimedia:File:24-cell.gif|journal=Wikimedia Commons}}
* {{Citation|author-last=Hise|author-first=Jason|date=2007|author-link=W:User:JasonHise|title=A 3D projection of a 24-cell performing a double rotation|title-link=Wikimedia:File:24-cell-orig.gif|journal=Wikimedia Commons}}
* {{Citation|author-last=Egan|author-first=Greg|date=2019|title=A 24-cell containing red, green, and blue 16-cells performing a double rotation|title-link=Wikimedia:File:24-cell-3CP.gif|journal=Wikimedia Commons}}
{{Refend}}
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{{Article info
|journal=Wikijournal Preprints
|last=Christie
|first=David Brooks
|abstract=The 24-cell is one of only a few uniform polytopes in which the edge length equals the radius. It is the only one of the six convex regular 4-polytopes which is not the analogue of one of the five Platonic solids. It contains all the convex regular polytopes of four or fewer dimensions made of triangles or squares except the 4-simplex, but it contains no pentagons. It has just four distinct chord lengths, which are the diameters of the hypercubes of dimensions 1 through 4. The 24-cell is the unique construction of these four hypercubic chords and all the regular polytopes that can be built from them. Isoclinic rotations relate the convex regular 4-polytopes to each other, and determine the way they nest inside one another. The 24-cell's characteristic isoclinic rotation takes place in four Clifford parallel great hexagon central planes. It also inherits an isoclinic rotation in six Clifford parallel great square central planes that is characteristic of its three constituent 16-cells. We explore the geometry of the 24-cell in detail, as an expression of its rotational symmetries.
|w1=24-cell
}}
== The unique 24-point 24-cell polytope ==
The [[24-cell]] does not have a regular analogue in three dimensions or any other number of dimensions.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=289|loc=Epilogue|ps=; "Another peculiarity of four-dimensional space is the occurrence of the 24-cell {3,4,3}, which stands quite alone, having no analogue above or below."}} It is the only one of the six convex regular 4-polytopes which is not the analogue of one of the five Platonic solids. However, it can be seen as the analogue of a pair of irregular solids: the [[W:Cuboctahedron|cuboctahedron]] and its dual the [[W:Rhombic dodecahedron|rhombic dodecahedron]].{{Sfn|Coxeter|1995|loc=(Paper 3) ''Two aspects of the regular 24-cell in four dimensions''|p=25}}
The 24-cell and the [[W:Tesseract|8-cell (tesseract)]] are the only convex regular 4-polytopes in which the edge length equals the radius. The long radius (center to vertex) of each is equal to its edge length; thus its long diameter (vertex to opposite vertex) is 2 edge lengths. Only a few uniform polytopes have this property, including these two four-dimensional polytopes, the three-dimensional [[W:Cuboctahedron#Radial equilateral symmetry|cuboctahedron]], and the two-dimensional [[W:Hexagon#Regular hexagon|hexagon]]. The cuboctahedron is the equatorial cross section of the 24-cell, and the hexagon is the equatorial cross section of the cuboctahedron. These '''radially equilateral polytopes''' are those which can be constructed, with their long radii, from equilateral triangles which meet at the center of the polytope, each contributing two radii and an edge.
== The 24-cell in the proper sequence of 4-polytopes ==
The 24-cell incorporates the geometries of every convex regular polytope in the first four dimensions, except the 5-cell (4-simplex), those with a 5 in their Schlӓfli symbol,{{Efn|The convex regular polytopes in the first four dimensions with a 5 in their Schlӓfli symbol are the [[W:Pentagon|pentagon]] {5}, the [[W:Icosahedron|icosahedron]] {3, 5}, the [[W:Dodecahedron|dodecahedron]] {5, 3}, the [[600-cell]] {3,3,5} and the [[120-cell]] {5,3,3}. The [[5-cell]] {3, 3, 3} is also pentagonal in the sense that its [[W:Petrie polygon|Petrie polygon]] is the pentagon.|name=pentagonal polytopes|group=}} and the regular polygons with 7 or more sides. In other words, the 24-cell contains ''all'' of the regular polytopes made of triangles and squares that exist in four dimensions except the regular 5-cell, but ''none'' of the pentagonal polytopes. It is especially useful to explore the 24-cell, because one can see the geometric relationships among all of these regular polytopes in a single 24-cell or [[W:24-cell honeycomb|its honeycomb]].
The 24-cell is the fourth in the sequence of six [[W:Convex regular 4-polytope|convex regular 4-polytope]]s in order of size and complexity. These can be ordered by size as a measure of 4-dimensional content (hypervolume) for the same radius. This is their proper order of enumeration: the order in which they nest inside each other as compounds.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|loc=§7.8 The enumeration of possible regular figures|p=136}}{{Sfn|Goucher|2020|loc=Subsumptions of regular polytopes}} Each greater polytope in the sequence is ''rounder'' than its predecessor, enclosing more content{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=292-293|loc=Table I(ii): The sixteen regular polytopes {''p,q,r''} in four dimensions|ps=; An invaluable table providing all 20 metrics of each 4-polytope in edge length units. They must be algebraically converted to compare polytopes of the same radius.}} within the same radius. The 5-cell (4-simplex) is the limit smallest (and sharpest) case, and the 120-cell is the largest (and roundest). Complexity (as measured by comparing [[24-cell#As a configuration|configuration matrices]] or simply the number of vertices) follows the same ordering. This provides an alternative numerical naming scheme for regular polytopes in which the 24-cell is the 24-point 4-polytope: fourth in the ascending sequence that runs from 5-point (5-cell) 4-polytope to 600-point (120-cell) 4-polytope.
The 24-cell can be deconstructed into 3 overlapping instances of its predecessor the [[W:Tesseract|8-cell (tesseract)]], as the 8-cell can be deconstructed into 2 instances of its predecessor the [[16-cell]].{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=302|pp=|loc=Table VI (ii): 𝐈𝐈 = {3,4,3}|ps=: see Result column}} The reverse procedure to construct each of these from an instance of its predecessor preserves the radius of the predecessor, but generally produces a successor with a smaller edge length. The edge length will always be different unless predecessor and successor are ''both'' radially equilateral, i.e. their edge length is the same as their radius (so both are preserved). Since radially equilateral polytopes are rare, it seems that the only such construction (in any dimension) is from the 8-cell to the 24-cell, making the 24-cell the unique regular polytope (in any dimension) which has the same edge length as its predecessor of the same radius.
{{Regular convex 4-polytopes|wiki=W:|radius={{radic|2}}|instance=1}}
== Coordinates ==
The 24-cell has two natural systems of Cartesian coordinates, which reveal distinct structure.
=== Great squares ===
The 24-cell is the [[W:Convex hull|convex hull]] of its vertices which can be described as the 24 coordinate [[W:Permutation|permutation]]s of:
<math display="block">(\pm1, \pm 1, 0, 0) \in \mathbb{R}^4 .</math>
Those coordinates{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=156|loc=§8.7. Cartesian Coordinates}} can be constructed as {{Coxeter–Dynkin diagram|node|3|node_1|3|node|4|node}}, [[W:Rectification (geometry)|rectifying]] the [[16-cell]] {{Coxeter–Dynkin diagram|node_1|3|node|3|node|4|node}} with the 8 vertices that are permutations of (±2,0,0,0). The vertex figure of a 16-cell is the [[W:Octahedron|octahedron]]; thus, cutting the vertices of the 16-cell at the midpoint of its incident edges produces 8 octahedral cells. This process{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=|pp=145-146|loc=§8.1 The simple truncations of the general regular polytope}} also rectifies the tetrahedral cells of the 16-cell which become 16 octahedra, giving the 24-cell 24 octahedral cells.
In this frame of reference the 24-cell has edges of length {{sqrt|2}} and is inscribed in a [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]] of radius {{sqrt|2}}. Remarkably, the edge length equals the circumradius, as in the [[W:Hexagon|hexagon]], or the [[W:Cuboctahedron|cuboctahedron]].
The 24 vertices form 18 great squares{{Efn|The edges of six of the squares are aligned with the grid lines of the ''{{radic|2}} radius coordinate system''. For example:
{{indent|5}}({{spaces|2}}0, −1,{{spaces|2}}1,{{spaces|2}}0){{spaces|3}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}1,{{spaces|2}}1,{{spaces|2}}0)
{{indent|5}}({{spaces|2}}0, −1, −1,{{spaces|2}}0){{spaces|3}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}1, −1,{{spaces|2}}0)<br>
is the square in the ''xy'' plane. The edges of the squares are not 24-cell edges, they are interior chords joining two vertices 90<sup>o</sup> distant from each other; so the squares are merely invisible configurations of four of the 24-cell's vertices, not visible 24-cell features.|name=|group=}} (3 sets of 6 orthogonal{{Efn|Up to 6 planes can be mutually orthogonal in 4 dimensions. 3 dimensional space accommodates only 3 perpendicular axes and 3 perpendicular planes through a single point. In 4 dimensional space we may have 4 perpendicular axes and 6 perpendicular planes through a point (for the same reason that the tetrahedron has 6 edges, not 4): there are 6 ways to take 4 dimensions 2 at a time.{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}} Three such perpendicular planes (pairs of axes) meet at each vertex of the 24-cell (for the same reason that three edges meet at each vertex of the tetrahedron). Each of the 6 planes is [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] to just one of the other planes: the only one with which it does not share a line (for the same reason that each edge of the tetrahedron is orthogonal to just one of the other edges: the only one with which it does not share a point). Two completely orthogonal planes are perpendicular and opposite each other, as two edges of the tetrahedron are perpendicular and opposite.|name=six orthogonal planes tetrahedral symmetry}} central squares), 3 of which intersect at each vertex. By viewing just one square at each vertex, the 24-cell can be seen as the vertices of 3 pairs of [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]]{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}} great squares which intersect{{Efn|Two planes in 4-dimensional space can have four possible reciprocal positions: (1) they can coincide (be exactly the same plane); (2) they can be parallel (the only way they can fail to intersect at all); (3) they can intersect in a single line, as two non-parallel planes do in 3-dimensional space; or (4) '''they can intersect in a single point'''{{Efn|To visualize how two planes can intersect in a single point in a four dimensional space, consider the Euclidean space (w, x, y, z) and imagine that the w dimension represents time rather than a spatial dimension. The xy central plane (where w{{=}}0, z{{=}}0) shares no axis with the wz central plane (where x{{=}}0, y{{=}}0). The xy plane exists at only a single instant in time (w{{=}}0); the wz plane (and in particular the w axis) exists all the time. Thus their only moment and place of intersection is at the origin point (0,0,0,0).|name=how planes intersect at a single point}} if they are [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]].|name=how planes intersect}} at no vertices.{{Efn|name=three square fibrations}}
=== Great hexagons ===
The 24-cell is [[W:Self-dual|self-dual]], having the same number of vertices (24) as cells and the same number of edges (96) as faces.
If the dual of the above 24-cell of edge length {{sqrt|2}} is taken by reciprocating it about its ''inscribed'' sphere, another 24-cell is found which has edge length and circumradius 1, and its coordinates reveal more structure. In this frame of reference the 24-cell lies vertex-up, and its vertices can be given as follows:
8 vertices obtained by permuting the ''integer'' coordinates:
<math display="block">\left( \pm 1, 0, 0, 0 \right)</math>
and 16 vertices with ''half-integer'' coordinates of the form:
<math display="block">\left( \pm \tfrac{1}{2}, \pm \tfrac{1}{2}, \pm \tfrac{1}{2}, \pm \tfrac{1}{2} \right)</math>
all 24 of which lie at distance 1 from the origin.
[[24-cell#Quaternionic interpretation|Viewed as quaternions]],{{Efn|In [[W:Euclidean geometry#Higher dimensions|four-dimensional Euclidean geometry]], a [[W:Quaternion|quaternion]] is simply a (w, x, y, z) Cartesian coordinate. [[W:William Rowan Hamilton|Hamilton]] did not see them as such when he [[W:History of quaternions|discovered the quaternions]]. [[W:Ludwig Schläfli|Schläfli]] would be the first to consider [[W:4-dimensional space|four-dimensional Euclidean space]], publishing his discovery of the regular [[W:Polyscheme|polyscheme]]s in 1852, but Hamilton would never be influenced by that work, which remained obscure into the 20th century. Hamilton found the quaternions when he realized that a fourth dimension, in some sense, would be necessary in order to model rotations in three-dimensional space.{{Sfn|Stillwell|2001|p=18-21}} Although he described a quaternion as an ''ordered four-element multiple of real numbers'', the quaternions were for him an extension of the complex numbers, not a Euclidean space of four dimensions.|name=quaternions}} these are the unit [[W:Hurwitz quaternions|Hurwitz quaternions]]. These 24 quaternions represent (in antipodal pairs) the 12 rotations of a regular tetrahedron.{{Sfn|Stillwell|2001|p=22}}
The 24-cell has unit radius and unit edge length in this coordinate system. We refer to the system as ''unit radius coordinates'' to distinguish it from others, such as the {{sqrt|2}} radius coordinates used to reveal the [[#Great squares|great squares]] above.{{Efn|The edges of the orthogonal great squares are ''not'' aligned with the grid lines of the ''unit radius coordinate system''. Six of the squares do lie in the 6 orthogonal planes of this coordinate system, but their edges are the {{sqrt|2}} ''diagonals'' of unit edge length squares of the coordinate lattice. For example:
{{indent|17}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}1,{{spaces|2}}0)
{{indent|5}}({{spaces|2}}0, −1,{{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0){{spaces|3}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}1,{{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0)
{{indent|17}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0, −1,{{spaces|2}}0)<br>
is the square in the ''xy'' plane. Notice that the 8 ''integer'' coordinates comprise the vertices of the 6 orthogonal squares.|name=orthogonal squares|group=}}
{{Regular convex 4-polytopes|wiki=W:|radius=1}}
The 24 vertices and 96 edges form 16 non-orthogonal great hexagons,{{Efn|The hexagons are inclined (tilted) at 60 degrees with respect to the unit radius coordinate system's orthogonal planes. Each hexagonal plane contains only ''one'' of the 4 coordinate system axes.{{Efn|Each great hexagon of the 24-cell contains one axis (one pair of antipodal vertices) belonging to each of the three inscribed 16-cells. The 24-cell contains three disjoint inscribed 16-cells, rotated 60° isoclinically{{Efn|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} with respect to each other (so their corresponding vertices are 120° {{=}} {{radic|3}} apart). A [[16-cell#Coordinates|16-cell is an orthonormal ''basis'']] for a 4-dimensional coordinate system, because its 8 vertices define the four orthogonal axes. In any choice of a vertex-up coordinate system (such as the unit radius coordinates used in this article), one of the three inscribed 16-cells is the basis for the coordinate system, and each hexagon has only ''one'' axis which is a coordinate system axis.|name=three basis 16-cells}} The hexagon consists of 3 pairs of opposite vertices (three 24-cell diameters): one opposite pair of ''integer'' coordinate vertices (one of the four coordinate axes), and two opposite pairs of ''half-integer'' coordinate vertices (not coordinate axes). For example:
{{indent|17}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}1,{{spaces|2}}0)
{{indent|5}}({{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>){{spaces|3}}({{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>)
{{indent|5}}(−<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>){{spaces|3}}(−<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>)
{{indent|17}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0, −1,{{spaces|2}}0)<br>
is a hexagon on the ''y'' axis. Unlike the {{sqrt|2}} squares, the hexagons are actually made of 24-cell edges, so they are visible features of the 24-cell.|name=non-orthogonal hexagons|group=}} four of which intersect{{Efn||name=how planes intersect}} at each vertex.{{Efn|It is not difficult to visualize four hexagonal planes intersecting at 60 degrees to each other, even in three dimensions. Four hexagonal central planes intersect at 60 degrees in the [[W:Cuboctahedron|cuboctahedron]]. Four of the 24-cell's 16 hexagonal central planes (lying in the same 3-dimensional hyperplane) intersect at each of the 24-cell's vertices exactly the way they do at the center of a cuboctahedron. But the ''edges'' around the vertex do not meet as the radii do at the center of a cuboctahedron; the 24-cell has 8 edges around each vertex, not 12, so its vertex figure is the cube, not the cuboctahedron. The 8 edges meet exactly the way 8 edges do at the apex of a canonical [[W:Cubic pyramid|cubic pyramid]].{{Efn|name=24-cell vertex figure}}|name=cuboctahedral hexagons}} By viewing just one hexagon at each vertex, the 24-cell can be seen as the 24 vertices of 4 non-intersecting hexagonal great circles which are [[W:Clifford parallel|Clifford parallel]] to each other.{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}}
The 12 axes and 16 hexagons of the 24-cell constitute a [[W:Reye configuration|Reye configuration]], which in the language of [[W:Configuration (geometry)|configurations]] is written as 12<sub>4</sub>16<sub>3</sub> to indicate that each axis belongs to 4 hexagons, and each hexagon contains 3 axes.{{Sfn|Waegell|Aravind|2009|loc=§3.4 The 24-cell: points, lines and Reye's configuration|pp=4-5|ps=; In the 24-cell Reye's "points" and "lines" are axes and hexagons, respectively.}}
=== Great triangles ===
The 24 vertices form 32 equilateral great triangles, of edge length {{radic|3}} in the unit-radius 24-cell,{{Efn|These triangles' edges of length {{sqrt|3}} are the diagonals{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}} of cubical cells of unit edge length found within the 24-cell, but those cubical (tesseract){{Efn|name=three 8-cells}} cells are not cells of the unit radius coordinate lattice.|name=cube diagonals}} inscribed in the 16 great hexagons.{{Efn|These triangles lie in the same planes containing the hexagons;{{Efn|name=non-orthogonal hexagons}} two triangles of edge length {{sqrt|3}} are inscribed in each hexagon. For example, in unit radius coordinates:
{{indent|17}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}1,{{spaces|2}}0)
{{indent|5}}({{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>){{spaces|3}}({{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>)
{{indent|5}}(−<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>){{spaces|3}}(−<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>)
{{indent|17}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0, −1,{{spaces|2}}0)<br>
are two opposing central triangles on the ''y'' axis, with each triangle formed by the vertices in alternating rows. Unlike the hexagons, the {{sqrt|3}} triangles are not made of actual 24-cell edges, so they are invisible features of the 24-cell, like the {{sqrt|2}} squares.|name=central triangles|group=}}
Each great triangle is a ring linking three completely disjoint{{Efn|name=completely disjoint}} great squares. The 18 great squares of the 24-cell occur as three sets of 6 orthogonal great squares,{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}} each forming a [[16-cell]].{{Efn|name=three isoclinic 16-cells}} The three 16-cells are completely disjoint (and [[#Clifford parallel polytopes|Clifford parallel]]): each has its own 8 vertices (on 4 orthogonal axes) and its own 24 edges (of length {{radic|2}}). The 18 square great circles are crossed by 16 hexagonal great circles; each hexagon has one axis (2 vertices) in each 16-cell.{{Efn|name=non-orthogonal hexagons}} The two great triangles inscribed in each great hexagon (occupying its alternate vertices, and with edges that are its {{radic|3}} chords) have one vertex in each 16-cell. Thus ''each great triangle is a ring linking the three completely disjoint 16-cells''. There are four different ways (four different ''fibrations'' of the 24-cell) in which the 8 vertices of the 16-cells correspond by being triangles of vertices {{radic|3}} apart: there are 32 distinct linking triangles. Each ''pair'' of 16-cells forms an 8-cell (tesseract).{{Efn|name=three 16-cells form three tesseracts}} Each great triangle has one {{radic|3}} edge in each tesseract, so it is also a ring linking the three tesseracts.
== Hypercubic chords ==
[[File:24-cell vertex geometry.png|thumb|Vertex geometry of the radially equilateral 24-cell, showing the 3 great circle polygons and the 4 vertex-to-vertex chord lengths.|alt=]]
The 24 vertices of the 24-cell are distributed{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=298|loc=Table V: The Distribution of Vertices of Four-Dimensional Polytopes in Parallel Solid Sections (§13.1); (i) Sections of {3,4,3} (edge 2) beginning with a vertex; see column ''a''|5=}} at four different [[W:Chord (geometry)|chord]] lengths from each other: {{sqrt|1}}, {{sqrt|2}}, {{sqrt|3}} and {{sqrt|4}}. The {{sqrt|1}} chords (the 24-cell edges) are the edges of central hexagons, and the {{sqrt|3}} chords are the diagonals of central hexagons. The {{sqrt|2}} chords are the edges of central squares, and the {{sqrt|4}} chords are the diagonals of central squares.
Each vertex is joined to 8 others{{Efn|The 8 nearest neighbor vertices surround the vertex (in the curved 3-dimensional space of the 24-cell's boundary surface) the way a cube's 8 corners surround its center. (The [[W:Vertex figure|vertex figure]] of the 24-cell is a cube.)|name=8 nearest vertices}} by an edge of length 1, spanning 60° = <small>{{sfrac|{{pi}}|3}}</small> of arc. Next nearest are 6 vertices{{Efn|The 6 second-nearest neighbor vertices surround the vertex in curved 3-dimensional space the way an octahedron's 6 corners surround its center.|name=6 second-nearest vertices}} located 90° = <small>{{sfrac|{{pi}}|2}}</small> away, along an interior chord of length {{sqrt|2}}. Another 8 vertices lie 120° = <small>{{sfrac|2{{pi}}|3}}</small> away, along an interior chord of length {{sqrt|3}}.{{Efn|name=nearest isoclinic vertices are {{radic|3}} away in third surrounding shell}} The opposite vertex is 180° = <small>{{pi}}</small> away along a diameter of length 2. Finally, as the 24-cell is radially equilateral, its center is 1 edge length away from all vertices.
To visualize how the interior polytopes of the 24-cell fit together (as described [[#Constructions|below]]), keep in mind that the four chord lengths ({{sqrt|1}}, {{sqrt|2}}, {{sqrt|3}}, {{sqrt|4}}) are the long diameters of the [[W:Hypercube|hypercube]]s of dimensions 1 through 4: the long diameter of the square is {{sqrt|2}}; the long diameter of the cube is {{sqrt|3}}; and the long diameter of the tesseract is {{sqrt|4}}.{{Efn|Thus ({{sqrt|1}}, {{sqrt|2}}, {{sqrt|3}}, {{sqrt|4}}) are the vertex chord lengths of the tesseract as well as of the 24-cell. They are also the diameters of the tesseract (from short to long), though not of the 24-cell.}} Moreover, the long diameter of the octahedron is {{sqrt|2}} like the square; and the long diameter of the 24-cell itself is {{sqrt|4}} like the tesseract.
== Geodesics ==
The vertex chords of the 24-cell are arranged in [[W:Geodesic|geodesic]] [[W:great circle|great circle]] polygons.{{Efn|A geodesic great circle lies in a 2-dimensional plane which passes through the center of the polytope. Notice that in 4 dimensions this central plane does ''not'' bisect the polytope into two equal-sized parts, as it would in 3 dimensions, just as a diameter (a central line) bisects a circle but does not bisect a sphere. Another difference is that in 4 dimensions not all pairs of great circles intersect at two points, as they do in 3 dimensions; some pairs do, but some pairs of great circles are non-intersecting Clifford parallels.{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}}}} The [[W:Geodesic distance|geodesic distance]] between two 24-cell vertices along a path of {{sqrt|1}} edges is always 1, 2, or 3, and it is 3 only for opposite vertices.{{Efn|If the [[W:Euclidean distance|Pythagorean distance]] between any two vertices is {{sqrt|1}}, their geodesic distance is 1; they may be two adjacent vertices (in the curved 3-space of the surface), or a vertex and the center (in 4-space). If their Pythagorean distance is {{sqrt|2}}, their geodesic distance is 2 (whether via 3-space or 4-space, because the path along the edges is the same straight line with one 90<sup>o</sup> bend in it as the path through the center). If their Pythagorean distance is {{sqrt|3}}, their geodesic distance is still 2 (whether on a hexagonal great circle past one 60<sup>o</sup> bend, or as a straight line with one 60<sup>o</sup> bend in it through the center). Finally, if their Pythagorean distance is {{sqrt|4}}, their geodesic distance is still 2 in 4-space (straight through the center), but it reaches 3 in 3-space (by going halfway around a hexagonal great circle).|name=Geodesic distance}}
The {{sqrt|1}} edges occur in 16 [[#Great hexagons|hexagonal great circles]] (in planes inclined at 60 degrees to each other), 4 of which cross{{Efn|name=cuboctahedral hexagons}} at each vertex.{{Efn|Eight {{sqrt|1}} edges converge in curved 3-dimensional space from the corners of the 24-cell's cubical vertex figure{{Efn|The [[W:Vertex figure|vertex figure]] is the facet which is made by truncating a vertex; canonically, at the mid-edges incident to the vertex. But one can make similar vertex figures of different radii by truncating at any point along those edges, up to and including truncating at the adjacent vertices to make a ''full size'' vertex figure. Stillwell defines the vertex figure as "the convex hull of the neighbouring vertices of a given vertex".{{Sfn|Stillwell|2001|p=17}} That is what serves the illustrative purpose here.|name=full size vertex figure}} and meet at its center (the vertex), where they form 4 straight lines which cross there. The 8 vertices of the cube are the eight nearest other vertices of the 24-cell. The straight lines are geodesics: two {{sqrt|1}}-length segments of an apparently straight line (in the 3-space of the 24-cell's curved surface) that is bent in the 4th dimension into a great circle hexagon (in 4-space). Imagined from inside this curved 3-space, the bends in the hexagons are invisible. From outside (if we could view the 24-cell in 4-space), the straight lines would be seen to bend in the 4th dimension at the cube centers, because the center is displaced outward in the 4th dimension, out of the hyperplane defined by the cube's vertices. Thus the vertex cube is actually a [[W:Cubic pyramid|cubic pyramid]]. Unlike a cube, it seems to be radially equilateral (like the tesseract and the 24-cell itself): its "radius" equals its edge length.{{Efn|The cube is not radially equilateral in Euclidean 3-space <math>\mathbb{R}^3</math>, but a cubic pyramid is radially equilateral in the curved 3-space of the 24-cell's surface, the [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]] <math>\mathbb{S}^3</math>. In 4-space the 8 edges radiating from its apex are not actually its radii: the apex of the [[W:Cubic pyramid|cubic pyramid]] is not actually its center, just one of its vertices. But in curved 3-space the edges radiating symmetrically from the apex ''are'' radii, so the cube is radially equilateral ''in that curved 3-space'' <math>\mathbb{S}^3</math>. In Euclidean 4-space <math>\mathbb{R}^4</math> 24 edges radiating symmetrically from a central point make the radially equilateral 24-cell, and a symmetrical subset of 16 of those edges make the [[W:Tesseract#Radial equilateral symmetry|radially equilateral tesseract]].}}|name=24-cell vertex figure}} The 96 distinct {{sqrt|1}} edges divide the surface into 96 triangular faces and 24 octahedral cells: a 24-cell. The 16 hexagonal great circles can be divided into 4 sets of 4 non-intersecting [[W:Clifford parallel|Clifford parallel]] geodesics, such that only one hexagonal great circle in each set passes through each vertex, and the 4 hexagons in each set reach all 24 vertices.{{Efn|name=hexagonal fibrations}}
The {{sqrt|2}} chords occur in 18 [[#Great squares|square great circles]] (3 sets of 6 orthogonal planes{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}}), 3 of which cross at each vertex.{{Efn|Six {{sqrt|2}} chords converge in 3-space from the face centers of the 24-cell's cubical vertex figure{{Efn|name=full size vertex figure}} and meet at its center (the vertex), where they form 3 straight lines which cross there perpendicularly. The 8 vertices of the cube are the eight nearest other vertices of the 24-cell, and eight {{sqrt|1}} edges converge from there, but let us ignore them now, since 7 straight lines crossing at the center is confusing to visualize all at once. Each of the six {{sqrt|2}} chords runs from this cube's center (the vertex) through a face center to the center of an adjacent (face-bonded) cube, which is another vertex of the 24-cell: not a nearest vertex (at the cube corners), but one located 90° away in a second concentric shell of six {{sqrt|2}}-distant vertices that surrounds the first shell of eight {{sqrt|1}}-distant vertices. The face-center through which the {{sqrt|2}} chord passes is the mid-point of the {{sqrt|2}} chord, so it lies inside the 24-cell.|name=|group=}} The 72 distinct {{sqrt|2}} chords do not run in the same planes as the hexagonal great circles; they do not follow the 24-cell's edges, they pass through its octagonal cell centers.{{Efn|One can cut the 24-cell through 6 vertices (in any hexagonal great circle plane), or through 4 vertices (in any square great circle plane). One can see this in the [[W:Cuboctahedron|cuboctahedron]] (the central [[W:hyperplane|hyperplane]] of the 24-cell), where there are four hexagonal great circles (along the edges) and six square great circles (across the square faces diagonally).}} The 72 {{sqrt|2}} chords are the 3 orthogonal axes of the 24 octahedral cells, joining vertices which are 2 {{radic|1}} edges apart. The 18 square great circles can be divided into 3 sets of 6 non-intersecting Clifford parallel geodesics,{{Efn|[[File:Hopf band wikipedia.png|thumb|Two [[W:Clifford parallel|Clifford parallel]] [[W:Great circle|great circle]]s on the [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]] spanned by a twisted [[W:Annulus (mathematics)|annulus]]. They have a common center point in [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|4-dimensional Euclidean space]], and could lie in [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] rotation planes.]][[W:Clifford parallel|Clifford parallel]]s are non-intersecting curved lines that are parallel in the sense that the perpendicular (shortest) distance between them is the same at each point.{{Sfn|Tyrrell|Semple|1971|loc=§3. Clifford's original definition of parallelism|pp=5-6}} A double helix is an example of Clifford parallelism in ordinary 3-dimensional Euclidean space. In 4-space Clifford parallels occur as geodesic great circles on the [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]].{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|pp=8-10|loc=Relations to Clifford Parallelism}} Whereas in 3-dimensional space, any two geodesic great circles on the 2-sphere will always intersect at two antipodal points, in 4-dimensional space not all great circles intersect; various sets of Clifford parallel non-intersecting geodesic great circles can be found on the 3-sphere. Perhaps the simplest example is that six mutually orthogonal great circles can be drawn on the 3-sphere, as three pairs of completely orthogonal great circles.{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}} Each completely orthogonal pair is Clifford parallel. The two circles cannot intersect at all, because they lie in planes which intersect at only one point: the center of the 3-sphere.{{Efn|Each square plane is isoclinic (Clifford parallel) to five other square planes but [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] to only one of them.{{Efn|name=Clifford parallel squares in the 16-cell and 24-cell}} Every pair of completely orthogonal planes has Clifford parallel great circles, but not all Clifford parallel great circles are orthogonal (e.g., none of the hexagonal geodesics in the 24-cell are mutually orthogonal).|name=only some Clifford parallels are orthogonal}} Because they are perpendicular and share a common center,{{Efn|In 4-space, two great circles can be perpendicular and share a common center ''which is their only point of intersection'', because there is more than one great [[W:2-sphere|2-sphere]] on the [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]]. The dimensionally analogous structure to a [[W:Great circle|great circle]] (a great 1-sphere) is a great 2-sphere,{{Sfn|Stillwell|2001|p=24}} which is an ordinary sphere that constitutes an ''equator'' boundary dividing the 3-sphere into two equal halves, just as a great circle divides the 2-sphere. Although two Clifford parallel great circles{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} occupy the same 3-sphere, they lie on different great 2-spheres. The great 2-spheres are [[#Clifford parallel polytopes|Clifford parallel 3-dimensional objects]], displaced relative to each other by a fixed distance ''d'' in the fourth dimension. Their corresponding points (on their two surfaces) are ''d'' apart. The 2-spheres (by which we mean their surfaces) do not intersect at all, although they have a common center point in 4-space. The displacement ''d'' between a pair of their corresponding points is the [[#Geodesics|chord of a great circle]] which intersects both 2-spheres, so ''d'' can be represented equivalently as a linear chordal distance, or as an angular distance.|name=great 2-spheres}} the two circles are obviously not parallel and separate in the usual way of parallel circles in 3 dimensions; rather they are connected like adjacent links in a chain, each passing through the other without intersecting at any points, forming a [[W:Hopf link|Hopf link]].|name=Clifford parallels}} such that only one square great circle in each set passes through each vertex, and the 6 squares in each set reach all 24 vertices.{{Efn|name=square fibrations}}
The {{sqrt|3}} chords occur in 32 [[#Great triangles|triangular great circles]] in 16 planes, 4 of which cross at each vertex.{{Efn|Eight {{sqrt|3}} chords converge from the corners of the 24-cell's cubical vertex figure{{Efn|name=full size vertex figure}} and meet at its center (the vertex), where they form 4 straight lines which cross there. Each of the eight {{sqrt|3}} chords runs from this cube's center to the center of a diagonally adjacent (vertex-bonded) cube,{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}} which is another vertex of the 24-cell: one located 120° away in a third concentric shell of eight {{sqrt|3}}-distant vertices surrounding the second shell of six {{sqrt|2}}-distant vertices that surrounds the first shell of eight {{sqrt|1}}-distant vertices.|name=nearest isoclinic vertices are {{radic|3}} away in third surrounding shell}} The 96 distinct {{sqrt|3}} chords{{Efn|name=cube diagonals}} run vertex-to-every-other-vertex in the same planes as the hexagonal great circles.{{Efn|name=central triangles}} They are the 3 edges of the 32 great triangles inscribed in the 16 great hexagons, joining vertices which are 2 {{sqrt|1}} edges apart on a great circle.{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}}
The {{sqrt|4}} chords occur as 12 vertex-to-vertex diameters (3 sets of 4 orthogonal axes), the 24 radii around the 25th central vertex.
The sum of the squared lengths{{Efn|The sum of 1・96 + 2・72 + 3・96 + 4・12 is 576.}} of all these distinct chords of the 24-cell is 576 = 24<sup>2</sup>.{{Efn|The sum of the squared lengths of all the distinct chords of any regular convex n-polytope of unit radius is the square of the number of vertices.{{Sfn|Copher|2019|loc=§3.2 Theorem 3.4|p=6}}}} These are all the central polygons through vertices, but in 4-space there are geodesics on the 3-sphere which do not lie in central planes at all. There are geodesic shortest paths between two 24-cell vertices that are helical rather than simply circular; they correspond to diagonal [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotations]] rather than [[#Simple rotations|simple rotations]].{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}}
The {{sqrt|1}} edges occur in 48 parallel pairs, {{sqrt|3}} apart. The {{sqrt|2}} chords occur in 36 parallel pairs, {{sqrt|2}} apart. The {{sqrt|3}} chords occur in 48 parallel pairs, {{sqrt|1}} apart.{{Efn|Each pair of parallel {{sqrt|1}} edges joins a pair of parallel {{sqrt|3}} chords to form one of 48 rectangles (inscribed in the 16 central hexagons), and each pair of parallel {{sqrt|2}} chords joins another pair of parallel {{sqrt|2}} chords to form one of the 18 central squares.|name=|group=}}
The central planes of the 24-cell can be divided into 4 orthogonal central hyperplanes (3-spaces) each forming a [[W:Cuboctahedron|cuboctahedron]]. The great hexagons are 60 degrees apart; the great squares are 90 degrees or 60 degrees apart; a great square and a great hexagon are 90 degrees ''and'' 60 degrees apart.{{Efn|Two angles are required to fix the relative positions of two planes in 4-space.{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|p=7|loc=§6 Angles between two Planes in 4-Space|ps=; "In four (and higher) dimensions, we need two angles to fix the relative position between two planes. (More generally, ''k'' angles are defined between ''k''-dimensional subspaces.)".}} Since all planes in the same hyperplane{{Efn|One way to visualize the ''n''-dimensional [[W:Hyperplane|hyperplane]]s is as the ''n''-spaces which can be defined by ''n + 1'' points. A point is the 0-space which is defined by 1 point. A line is the 1-space which is defined by 2 points which are not coincident. A plane is the 2-space which is defined by 3 points which are not colinear (any triangle). In 4-space, a 3-dimensional hyperplane is the 3-space which is defined by 4 points which are not coplanar (any tetrahedron). In 5-space, a 4-dimensional hyperplane is the 4-space which is defined by 5 points which are not cocellular (any 5-cell). These [[W:Simplex|simplex]] figures divide the hyperplane into two parts (inside and outside the figure), but in addition they divide the enclosing space into two parts (above and below the hyperplane). The ''n'' points ''bound'' a finite simplex figure (from the outside), and they ''define'' an infinite hyperplane (from the inside).{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|loc=§7.2.|p=120|ps=: "... any ''n''+1 points which do not lie in an (''n''-1)-space are the vertices of an ''n''-dimensional ''simplex''.... Thus the general simplex may alternatively be defined as a finite region of ''n''-space enclosed by ''n''+1 ''hyperplanes'' or (''n''-1)-spaces."}} These two divisions are orthogonal, so the defining simplex divides space into six regions: inside the simplex and in the hyperplane, inside the simplex but above or below the hyperplane, outside the simplex but in the hyperplane, and outside the simplex above or below the hyperplane.|name=hyperplanes|group=}} are 0 degrees apart in one of the two angles, only one angle is required in 3-space. Great hexagons in different hyperplanes are 60 degrees apart in ''both'' angles. Great squares in different hyperplanes are 90 degrees apart in ''both'' angles ([[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]]) or 60 degrees apart in ''both'' angles.{{Efn||name=Clifford parallel squares in the 16-cell and 24-cell}} Planes which are separated by two equal angles are called ''isoclinic''. Planes which are isoclinic have [[W:Clifford parallel|Clifford parallel]] great circles.{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} A great square and a great hexagon in different hyperplanes ''may'' be isoclinic, but often they are separated by a 90 degree angle ''and'' a 60 degree angle.|name=two angles between central planes}} Each set of similar central polygons (squares or hexagons) can be divided into 4 sets of non-intersecting Clifford parallel polygons (of 6 squares or 4 hexagons).{{Efn|Each pair of Clifford parallel polygons lies in two different hyperplanes (cuboctahedrons). The 4 Clifford parallel hexagons lie in 4 different cuboctahedrons.}} Each set of Clifford parallel great circles is a parallel [[W:Hopf fibration|fiber bundle]] which visits all 24 vertices just once.
Each great circle intersects{{Efn|name=how planes intersect}} with the other great circles to which it is not Clifford parallel at one {{sqrt|4}} diameter of the 24-cell.{{Efn|Two intersecting great squares or great hexagons share two opposing vertices, but squares or hexagons on Clifford parallel great circles share no vertices. Two intersecting great triangles share only one vertex, since they lack opposing vertices.|name=how great circle planes intersect|group=}} Great circles which are [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] or otherwise Clifford parallel{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} do not intersect at all: they pass through disjoint sets of vertices.{{Efn|name=pairs of completely orthogonal planes}}
== Constructions ==
[[File:24-cell-3CP.gif|thumb|The 24-point 24-cell contains three 8-point 16-cells (red, green, and blue),{{Sfn|Egan|2019|ps=; Double-rotating 24-cell with orthogonal red, green and blue vertices.}} double-rotated by 60 degrees with respect to each other.{{Efn|name=three isoclinic 16-cells}} Each 8-point 16-cell is a coordinate system basis frame of four perpendicular (w,x,y,z) axes, just as a 6-point [[w:Octahedron|octahedron]] is a coordinate system basis frame of three perpendicular (x,y,z) axes.{{Efn|name=three basis 16-cells}} One octahedral cell of the 24 cells is emphasized. Each octahedral cell has two vertices of each color, delimiting an invisible perpendicular axis of the octahedron, which is a {{radic|2}} edge of the red, green, or blue 16-cell.{{Efn|name=octahedral diameters}}]]
Triangles and squares come together uniquely in the 24-cell to generate, as interior features,{{Efn|Interior features are not considered elements of the polytope. For example, the center of a 24-cell is a noteworthy feature (as are its long radii), but these interior features do not count as elements in [[#Configuration|its configuration matrix]], which counts only elementary features (which are not interior to any other feature including the polytope itself). Interior features are not rendered in most of the diagrams and illustrations in this article (they are normally invisible). In illustrations showing interior features, we always draw interior edges as dashed lines, to distinguish them from elementary edges.|name=interior features|group=}} all of the triangle-faced and square-faced regular convex polytopes in the first four dimensions (with caveats for the [[5-cell]] and the [[600-cell]]).{{Efn|The [[600-cell]] is larger than the 24-cell, and contains the 24-cell as an interior feature.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=153|loc=8.5. Gosset's construction for {3,3,5}|ps=: "In fact, the vertices of {3,3,5}, each taken 5 times, are the vertices of 25 {3,4,3}'s."}} The regular [[5-cell]] is not found in the interior of any convex regular 4-polytope except the [[120-cell]],{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=304|loc=Table VI(iv) II={5,3,3}|ps=: Faceting {5,3,3}[120𝛼<sub>4</sub>]{3,3,5} of the 120-cell reveals 120 regular 5-cells.}} though every convex 4-polytope can be [[#Characteristic orthoscheme|deconstructed into irregular 5-cells.]]|name=|group=}} Consequently, there are numerous ways to construct or deconstruct the 24-cell.
==== Reciprocal constructions from 8-cell and 16-cell ====
The 8 integer vertices (±1, 0, 0, 0) are the vertices of a regular [[16-cell]], and the 16 half-integer vertices (±{{sfrac|1|2}}, ±{{sfrac|1|2}}, ±{{sfrac|1|2}}, ±{{sfrac|1|2}}) are the vertices of its dual, the [[W:Tesseract|8-cell (tesseract)]].{{Sfn|Egan|2021|loc=animation of a rotating 24-cell|ps=: {{color|red}} half-integer vertices (tesseract), {{Font color|fg=yellow|bg=black|text=yellow}} and {{color|black}} integer vertices (16-cell).}} The tesseract gives Gosset's construction{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=150|loc=Gosset}} of the 24-cell, equivalent to cutting a tesseract into 8 [[W:Cubic pyramid|cubic pyramid]]s, and then attaching them to the facets of a second tesseract. The analogous construction in 3-space gives the [[W:Rhombic dodecahedron|rhombic dodecahedron]] which, however, is not regular.{{Efn|[[File:R1-cube.gif|thumb|150px|Construction of a [[W:Rhombic dodecahedron|rhombic dodecahedron]] from a cube.]]This animation shows the construction of a [[W:Rhombic dodecahedron|rhombic dodecahedron]] from a cube, by inverting the center-to-face pyramids of a cube. Gosset's construction of a 24-cell from a tesseract is the 4-dimensional analogue of this process, inverting the center-to-cell pyramids of an 8-cell (tesseract).{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=150|loc=Gosset}}|name=rhombic dodecahedron from a cube}} The 16-cell gives the reciprocal construction of the 24-cell, Cesaro's construction,{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=148|loc=§8.2. Cesaro's construction for {3, 4, 3}.}} equivalent to rectifying a 16-cell (truncating its corners at the mid-edges, as described [[#Great squares|above]]). The analogous construction in 3-space gives the [[W:Cuboctahedron|cuboctahedron]] (dual of the rhombic dodecahedron) which, however, is not regular. The tesseract and the 16-cell are the only regular 4-polytopes in the 24-cell.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=302|loc=Table VI(ii) II={3,4,3}, Result column}}
We can further divide the 16 half-integer vertices into two groups: those whose coordinates contain an even number of minus (−) signs and those with an odd number. Each of these groups of 8 vertices also define a regular 16-cell. This shows that the vertices of the 24-cell can be grouped into three disjoint sets of eight with each set defining a regular 16-cell, and with the complement defining the dual tesseract.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=149-150|loc=§8.22. see illustrations Fig. 8.2<small>A</small> and Fig 8.2<small>B</small>|p=|ps=}} This also shows that the symmetries of the 16-cell form a subgroup of index 3 of the symmetry group of the 24-cell.{{Efn|name=three 16-cells form three tesseracts}}
==== Diminishings ====
We can [[W:Faceting|facet]] the 24-cell by cutting{{Efn|We can cut a vertex off a polygon with a 0-dimensional cutting instrument (like the point of a knife, or the head of a zipper) by sweeping it along a 1-dimensional line, exposing a new edge. We can cut a vertex off a polyhedron with a 1-dimensional cutting edge (like a knife) by sweeping it through a 2-dimensional face plane, exposing a new face. We can cut a vertex off a polychoron (a 4-polytope) with a 2-dimensional cutting plane (like a snowplow), by sweeping it through a 3-dimensional cell volume, exposing a new cell. Notice that as within the new edge length of the polygon or the new face area of the polyhedron, every point within the new cell volume is now exposed on the surface of the polychoron.}} through interior cells bounded by vertex chords to remove vertices, exposing the [[W:Facet (geometry)|facets]] of interior 4-polytopes [[W:Inscribed figure|inscribed]] in the 24-cell. One can cut a 24-cell through any planar hexagon of 6 vertices, any planar rectangle of 4 vertices, or any triangle of 3 vertices. The great circle central planes ([[#Geodesics|above]]) are only some of those planes. Here we shall expose some of the others: the face planes{{Efn|Each cell face plane intersects with the other face planes of its kind to which it is not completely orthogonal or parallel at their characteristic vertex chord edge. Adjacent face planes of orthogonally-faced cells (such as cubes) intersect at an edge since they are not completely orthogonal.{{Efn|name=how planes intersect}} Although their dihedral angle is 90 degrees in the boundary 3-space, they lie in the same hyperplane{{Efn|name=hyperplanes}} (they are coincident rather than perpendicular in the fourth dimension); thus they intersect in a line, as non-parallel planes do in any 3-space.|name=how face planes intersect}} of interior polytopes.{{Efn|The only planes through exactly 6 vertices of the 24-cell (not counting the central vertex) are the '''16 hexagonal great circles'''. There are no planes through exactly 5 vertices. There are several kinds of planes through exactly 4 vertices: the 18 {{sqrt|2}} square great circles, the '''72 {{sqrt|1}} square (tesseract) faces''', and 144 {{sqrt|1}} by {{sqrt|2}} rectangles. The planes through exactly 3 vertices are the 96 {{sqrt|2}} equilateral triangle (16-cell) faces, and the '''96 {{sqrt|1}} equilateral triangle (24-cell) faces'''. There are an infinite number of central planes through exactly two vertices (great circle [[W:Digon|digon]]s); 16 are distinguished, as each is [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] to one of the 16 hexagonal great circles. '''Only the polygons composed of 24-cell {{radic|1}} edges are visible''' in the projections and rotating animations illustrating this article; the others contain invisible interior chords.{{Efn|name=interior features}}|name=planes through vertices|group=}}
===== 8-cell =====
Starting with a complete 24-cell, remove 8 orthogonal vertices (4 opposite pairs on 4 perpendicular axes), and the 8 edges which radiate from each, by cutting through 8 cubic cells bounded by {{sqrt|1}} edges to remove 8 [[W:Cubic pyramid|cubic pyramid]]s whose [[W:Apex (geometry)|apexes]] are the vertices to be removed. This removes 4 edges from each hexagonal great circle (retaining just one opposite pair of edges), so no continuous hexagonal great circles remain. Now 3 perpendicular edges meet and form the corner of a cube at each of the 16 remaining vertices,{{Efn|The 24-cell's cubical vertex figure{{Efn|name=full size vertex figure}} has been truncated to a tetrahedral vertex figure (see [[#Relationships among interior polytopes|Kepler's drawing]]). The vertex cube has vanished, and now there are only 4 corners of the vertex figure where before there were 8. Four tesseract edges converge from the tetrahedron vertices and meet at its center, where they do not cross (since the tetrahedron does not have opposing vertices).|name=|group=}} and the 32 remaining edges divide the surface into 24 square faces and 8 cubic cells: a [[W:Tesseract|tesseract]]. There are three ways you can do this (choose a set of 8 orthogonal vertices out of 24), so there are three such tesseracts inscribed in the 24-cell.{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}} They overlap with each other, but most of their element sets are disjoint: they share some vertex count, but no edge length, face area, or cell volume.{{Efn|name=vertex-bonded octahedra}} They do share 4-content, their common core.{{Efn||name=common core|group=}}
===== 16-cell =====
Starting with a complete 24-cell, remove the 16 vertices of a tesseract (retaining the 8 vertices you removed above), by cutting through 16 tetrahedral cells bounded by {{sqrt|2}} chords to remove 16 [[W:Tetrahedral pyramid|tetrahedral pyramid]]s whose apexes are the vertices to be removed. This removes 12 great squares (retaining just one orthogonal set) and all the {{sqrt|1}} edges, exposing {{sqrt|2}} chords as the new edges. Now the remaining 6 great squares cross perpendicularly, 3 at each of 8 remaining vertices,{{Efn|The 24-cell's cubical vertex figure{{Efn|name=full size vertex figure}} has been truncated to an octahedral vertex figure. The vertex cube has vanished, and now there are only 6 corners of the vertex figure where before there were 8. The 6 {{sqrt|2}} chords which formerly converged from cube face centers now converge from octahedron vertices; but just as before, they meet at the center where 3 straight lines cross perpendicularly. The octahedron vertices are located 90° away outside the vanished cube, at the new nearest vertices; before truncation those were 24-cell vertices in the second shell of surrounding vertices.|name=|group=}} and their 24 edges divide the surface into 32 triangular faces and 16 tetrahedral cells: a [[16-cell]]. There are three ways you can do this (remove 1 of 3 sets of tesseract vertices), so there are three such 16-cells inscribed in the 24-cell.{{Efn|name=three isoclinic 16-cells}} They overlap with each other, but all of their element sets are disjoint:{{Efn|name=completely disjoint}} they do not share any vertex count, edge length,{{Efn|name=root 2 chords}} or face area, but they do share cell volume. They also share 4-content, their common core.{{Efn||name=common core|group=}}
==== Tetrahedral constructions ====
The 24-cell can be constructed radially from 96 equilateral triangles of edge length {{sqrt|1}} which meet at the center of the polytope, each contributing two radii and an edge. They form 96 {{sqrt|1}} tetrahedra (each contributing one 24-cell face), all sharing the 25th central apex vertex. These form 24 octahedral pyramids (half-16-cells) with their apexes at the center.
The 24-cell can be constructed from 96 equilateral triangles of edge length {{sqrt|2}}, where the three vertices of each triangle are located 90° = <small>{{sfrac|{{pi}}|2}}</small> away from each other on the 3-sphere. They form 48 {{sqrt|2}}-edge tetrahedra (the cells of the [[#16-cell|three 16-cells]]), centered at the 24 mid-edge-radii of the 24-cell.{{Efn|Each of the 72 {{sqrt|2}} chords in the 24-cell is a face diagonal in two distinct cubical cells (of different 8-cells) and an edge of four tetrahedral cells (in just one 16-cell).|name=root 2 chords}}
The 24-cell can be constructed directly from its [[#Characteristic orthoscheme|characteristic simplex]] {{Coxeter–Dynkin diagram|node|3|node|4|node|3|node}}, the [[5-cell#Irregular 5-cells|irregular 5-cell]] which is the [[W:Fundamental region|fundamental region]] of its [[W:Coxeter group|symmetry group]] [[W:F4 polytope|F<sub>4</sub>]], by reflection of that 4-[[W:Orthoscheme|orthoscheme]] in its own cells (which are 3-orthoschemes).{{Efn|An [[W:Orthoscheme|orthoscheme]] is a [[W:chiral|chiral]] irregular [[W:Simplex|simplex]] with [[W:Right triangle|right triangle]] faces that is characteristic of some polytope if it will exactly fill that polytope with the reflections of itself in its own [[W:Facet (geometry)|facet]]s (its ''mirror walls''). Every regular polytope can be dissected radially into instances of its [[W:Orthoscheme#Characteristic simplex of the general regular polytope|characteristic orthoscheme]] surrounding its center. The characteristic orthoscheme has the shape described by the same [[W:Coxeter-Dynkin diagram|Coxeter-Dynkin diagram]] as the regular polytope without the ''generating point'' ring.|name=characteristic orthoscheme}}
==== Cubic constructions ====
The 24-cell is not only the 24-octahedral-cell, it is also the 24-cubical-cell, although the cubes are cells of the three 8-cells, not cells of the 24-cell, in which they are not volumetrically disjoint.
The 24-cell can be constructed from 24 cubes of its own edge length (three 8-cells).{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}} Each of the cubes is shared by 2 8-cells, each of the cubes' square faces is shared by 4 cubes (in 2 8-cells), each of the 96 edges is shared by 8 square faces (in 4 cubes in 2 8-cells), and each of the 96 vertices is shared by 16 edges (in 8 square faces in 4 cubes in 2 8-cells).
== Relationships among interior polytopes ==
The 24-cell, three tesseracts, and three 16-cells are deeply entwined around their common center, and intersect in a common core.{{Efn|A simple way of stating this relationship is that the common core of the {{radic|2}}-radius 4-polytopes is the unit-radius 24-cell. The common core of the 24-cell and its inscribed 8-cells and 16-cells is the unit-radius 24-cell's insphere-inscribed dual 24-cell of edge length and radius {{radic|1/2}}.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1995|p=29|loc=(Paper 3) ''Two aspects of the regular 24-cell in four dimensions''|ps=; "The common content of the 4-cube and the 16-cell is a smaller {3,4,3} whose vertices are the permutations of [(±{{sfrac|1|2}}, ±{{sfrac|1|2}}, 0, 0)]".}} Rectifying any of the three 16-cells reveals this smaller 24-cell, which has a 4-content of only 1/2 (1/4 that of the unit-radius 24-cell). Its vertices lie at the centers of the 24-cell's octahedral cells, which are also the centers of the tesseracts' square faces, and are also the centers of the 16-cells' edges.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=147|loc=§8.1 The simple truncations of the general regular polytope|ps=; "At a point of contact, [elements of a regular polytope and elements of its dual in which it is inscribed in some manner] lie in [[W:completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] subspaces of the tangent hyperplane to the sphere [of reciprocation], so their only common point is the point of contact itself....{{Efn|name=how planes intersect}} In fact, the [various] radii <sub>0</sub>𝑹, <sub>1</sub>𝑹, <sub>2</sub>𝑹, ... determine the polytopes ... whose vertices are the centers of elements 𝐈𝐈<sub>0</sub>, 𝐈𝐈<sub>1</sub>, 𝐈𝐈<sub>2</sub>, ... of the original polytope."}}|name=common core|group=}} The tesseracts and the 16-cells are rotated 60° isoclinically{{Efn|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} with respect to each other. This means that the corresponding vertices of two tesseracts or two 16-cells are {{radic|3}} (120°) apart.{{Efn|The 24-cell contains 3 distinct 8-cells (tesseracts), rotated 60° isoclinically with respect to each other. The corresponding vertices of two 8-cells are {{radic|3}} (120°) apart. Each 8-cell contains 8 cubical cells, and each cube contains four {{radic|3}} chords (its long diameters). The 8-cells are not completely disjoint (they share vertices),{{Efn|name=completely disjoint}} but each {{radic|3}} chord occurs as a cube long diameter in just one 8-cell. The {{radic|3}} chords joining the corresponding vertices of two 8-cells belong to the third 8-cell as cube diameters.{{Efn|name=nearest isoclinic vertices are {{radic|3}} away in third surrounding shell}}|name=three 8-cells}}
The tesseracts are inscribed in the 24-cell{{Efn|The 24 vertices of the 24-cell, each used twice, are the vertices of three 16-vertex tesseracts.|name=|group=}} such that their vertices and edges are exterior elements of the 24-cell, but their square faces and cubical cells lie inside the 24-cell (they are not elements of the 24-cell). The 16-cells are inscribed in the 24-cell{{Efn|The 24 vertices of the 24-cell, each used once, are the vertices of three 8-vertex 16-cells.{{Efn|name=three basis 16-cells}}|name=|group=}} such that only their vertices are exterior elements of the 24-cell: their edges, triangular faces, and tetrahedral cells lie inside the 24-cell. The interior{{Efn|The edges of the 16-cells are not shown in any of the renderings in this article; if we wanted to show interior edges, they could be drawn as dashed lines. The edges of the inscribed tesseracts are always visible, because they are also edges of the 24-cell.}} 16-cell edges have length {{sqrt|2}}.[[File:Kepler's tetrahedron in cube.png|thumb|Kepler's drawing of tetrahedra in the cube.{{Sfn|Kepler|1619|p=181}}]]
The 16-cells are also inscribed in the tesseracts: their {{sqrt|2}} edges are the face diagonals of the tesseract, and their 8 vertices occupy every other vertex of the tesseract. Each tesseract has two 16-cells inscribed in it (occupying the opposite vertices and face diagonals), so each 16-cell is inscribed in two of the three 8-cells.{{Sfn|van Ittersum|2020|loc=§4.2|pp=73-79}}{{Efn|name=three 16-cells form three tesseracts}} This is reminiscent of the way, in 3 dimensions, two opposing regular tetrahedra can be inscribed in a cube, as discovered by Kepler.{{Sfn|Kepler|1619|p=181}} In fact it is the exact dimensional analogy (the [[W:Demihypercube|demihypercube]]s), and the 48 tetrahedral cells are inscribed in the 24 cubical cells in just that way.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=269|loc=§14.32|ps=. "For instance, in the case of <math>\gamma_4[2\beta_4]</math>...."}}{{Efn|name=root 2 chords}}
The 24-cell encloses the three tesseracts within its envelope of octahedral facets, leaving 4-dimensional space in some places between its envelope and each tesseract's envelope of cubes. Each tesseract encloses two of the three 16-cells, leaving 4-dimensional space in some places between its envelope and each 16-cell's envelope of tetrahedra. Thus there are measurable{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=292-293|loc=Table I(ii): The sixteen regular polytopes {''p,q,r''} in four dimensions|ps=; An invaluable table providing all 20 metrics of each 4-polytope in edge length units. They must be algebraically converted to compare polytopes of the same radius.}} 4-dimensional interstices{{Efn|The 4-dimensional content of the unit edge length tesseract is 1 (by definition). The content of the unit edge length 24-cell is 2, so half its content is inside each tesseract, and half is between their envelopes. Each 16-cell (edge length {{sqrt|2}}) encloses a content of 2/3, leaving 1/3 of an enclosing tesseract between their envelopes.|name=|group=}} between the 24-cell, 8-cell and 16-cell envelopes. The shapes filling these gaps are [[W:Hyperpyramid|4-pyramids]], alluded to above.{{Efn|Between the 24-cell envelope and the 8-cell envelope, we have the 8 cubic pyramids of Gosset's construction. Between the 8-cell envelope and the 16-cell envelope, we have 16 right [[5-cell#Irregular 5-cell|tetrahedral pyramids]], with their apexes filling the corners of the tesseract.}}
== Boundary cells ==
Despite the 4-dimensional interstices between 24-cell, 8-cell and 16-cell envelopes, their 3-dimensional volumes overlap. The different envelopes are separated in some places, and in contact in other places (where no 4-pyramid lies between them). Where they are in contact, they merge and share cell volume: they are the same 3-membrane in those places, not two separate but adjacent 3-dimensional layers.{{Efn|Because there are three overlapping tesseracts inscribed in the 24-cell,{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}} each octahedral cell lies ''on'' a cubic cell of one tesseract (in the cubic pyramid based on the cube, but not in the cube's volume), and ''in'' two cubic cells of each of the other two tesseracts (cubic cells which it spans, sharing their volume).{{Efn|name=octahedral diameters}}|name=octahedra both on and in cubes}} Because there are a total of 7 envelopes, there are places where several envelopes come together and merge volume, and also places where envelopes interpenetrate (cross from inside to outside each other).
Some interior features lie within the 3-space of the (outer) boundary envelope of the 24-cell itself: each octahedral cell is bisected by three perpendicular squares (one from each of the tesseracts), and the diagonals of those squares (which cross each other perpendicularly at the center of the octahedron) are 16-cell edges (one from each 16-cell). Each square bisects an octahedron into two square pyramids, and also bonds two adjacent cubic cells of a tesseract together as their common face.{{Efn|Consider the three perpendicular {{sqrt|2}} long diameters of the octahedral cell.{{Sfn|van Ittersum|2020|p=79}} Each of them is an edge of a different 16-cell. Two of them are the face diagonals of the square face between two cubes; each is a {{sqrt|2}} chord that connects two vertices of those 8-cell cubes across a square face, connects two vertices of two 16-cell tetrahedra (inscribed in the cubes), and connects two opposite vertices of a 24-cell octahedron (diagonally across two of the three orthogonal square central sections).{{Efn|name=root 2 chords}} The third perpendicular long diameter of the octahedron does exactly the same (by symmetry); so it also connects two vertices of a pair of cubes across their common square face: but a different pair of cubes, from one of the other tesseracts in the 24-cell.{{Efn|name=vertex-bonded octahedra}}|name=octahedral diameters}}
As we saw [[#Relationships among interior polytopes|above]], 16-cell {{sqrt|2}} tetrahedral cells are inscribed in tesseract {{sqrt|1}} cubic cells, sharing the same volume. 24-cell {{sqrt|1}} octahedral cells overlap their volume with {{sqrt|1}} cubic cells: they are bisected by a square face into two square pyramids,{{sfn|Coxeter|1973|page=150|postscript=: "Thus the 24 cells of the {3, 4, 3} are dipyramids based on the 24 squares of the <math>\gamma_4</math>. (Their centres are the mid-points of the 24 edges of the <math>\beta_4</math>.)"}} the apexes of which also lie at a vertex of a cube.{{Efn|This might appear at first to be angularly impossible, and indeed it would be in a flat space of only three dimensions. If two cubes rest face-to-face in an ordinary 3-dimensional space (e.g. on the surface of a table in an ordinary 3-dimensional room), an octahedron will fit inside them such that four of its six vertices are at the four corners of the square face between the two cubes; but then the other two octahedral vertices will not lie at a cube corner (they will fall within the volume of the two cubes, but not at a cube vertex). In four dimensions, this is no less true! The other two octahedral vertices do ''not'' lie at a corner of the adjacent face-bonded cube in the same tesseract. However, in the 24-cell there is not just one inscribed tesseract (of 8 cubes), there are three overlapping tesseracts (of 8 cubes each). The other two octahedral vertices ''do'' lie at the corner of a cube: but a cube in another (overlapping) tesseract.{{Efn|name=octahedra both on and in cubes}}}} The octahedra share volume not only with the cubes, but with the tetrahedra inscribed in them; thus the 24-cell, tesseracts, and 16-cells all share some boundary volume.{{Efn|name=octahedra both on and in cubes}}
== Radially equilateral honeycomb ==
The dual tessellation of the [[W:24-cell honeycomb|24-cell honeycomb {3,4,3,3}]] is the [[W:16-cell honeycomb|16-cell honeycomb {3,3,4,3}]]. The third regular tessellation of four dimensional space is the [[W:Tesseractic honeycomb|tesseractic honeycomb {4,3,3,4}]], whose vertices can be described by 4-integer Cartesian coordinates.{{Efn|name=quaternions}} The congruent relationships among these three tessellations can be helpful in visualizing the 24-cell, in particular the radial equilateral symmetry which it shares with the tesseract.
A honeycomb of unit edge length 24-cells may be overlaid on a honeycomb of unit edge length tesseracts such that every vertex of a tesseract (every 4-integer coordinate) is also the vertex of a 24-cell (and tesseract edges are also 24-cell edges), and every center of a 24-cell is also the center of a tesseract.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=163|ps=: Coxeter notes that [[W:Thorold Gosset|Thorold Gosset]] was apparently the first to see that the cells of the 24-cell honeycomb {3,4,3,3} are concentric with alternate cells of the tesseractic honeycomb {4,3,3,4}, and that this observation enabled Gosset's method of construction of the complete set of regular polytopes and honeycombs.}} The 24-cells are twice as large as the tesseracts by 4-dimensional content (hypervolume), so overall there are two tesseracts for every 24-cell, only half of which are inscribed in a 24-cell. If those tesseracts are colored black, and their adjacent tesseracts (with which they share a cubical facet) are colored red, a 4-dimensional checkerboard results.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=156|loc=|ps=: "...the chess-board has an n-dimensional analogue."}} Of the 24 center-to-vertex radii{{Efn|It is important to visualize the radii only as invisible interior features of the 24-cell (dashed lines), since they are not edges of the honeycomb. Similarly, the center of the 24-cell is empty (not a vertex of the honeycomb).}} of each 24-cell, 16 are also the radii of a black tesseract inscribed in the 24-cell. The other 8 radii extend outside the black tesseract (through the centers of its cubical facets) to the centers of the 8 adjacent red tesseracts. Thus the 24-cell honeycomb and the tesseractic honeycomb coincide in a special way: 8 of the 24 vertices of each 24-cell do not occur at a vertex of a tesseract (they occur at the center of a tesseract instead). Each black tesseract is cut from a 24-cell by truncating it at these 8 vertices, slicing off 8 cubic pyramids (as in reversing Gosset's construction,{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=150|loc=Gosset}} but instead of being removed the pyramids are simply colored red and left in place). Eight 24-cells meet at the center of each red tesseract: each one meets its opposite at that shared vertex, and the six others at a shared octahedral cell. <!-- illustration needed: the red/black checkerboard of the combined 24-cell honeycomb and tesseractic honeycomb; use a vertex-first projection of the 24-cells, and outline the edges of the rhombic dodecahedra as blue lines -->
The red tesseracts are filled cells (they contain a central vertex and radii); the black tesseracts are empty cells. The vertex set of this union of two honeycombs includes the vertices of all the 24-cells and tesseracts, plus the centers of the red tesseracts. Adding the 24-cell centers (which are also the black tesseract centers) to this honeycomb yields a 16-cell honeycomb, the vertex set of which includes all the vertices and centers of all the 24-cells and tesseracts. The formerly empty centers of adjacent 24-cells become the opposite vertices of a unit edge length 16-cell. 24 half-16-cells (octahedral pyramids) meet at each formerly empty center to fill each 24-cell, and their octahedral bases are the 6-vertex octahedral facets of the 24-cell (shared with an adjacent 24-cell).{{Efn|Unlike the 24-cell and the tesseract, the 16-cell is not radially equilateral; therefore 16-cells of two different sizes (unit edge length versus unit radius) occur in the unit edge length honeycomb. The twenty-four 16-cells that meet at the center of each 24-cell have unit edge length, and radius {{sfrac|{{radic|2}}|2}}. The three 16-cells inscribed in each 24-cell have edge length {{radic|2}}, and unit radius.}}
Notice the complete absence of pentagons anywhere in this union of three honeycombs. Like the 24-cell, 4-dimensional Euclidean space itself is entirely filled by a complex of all the polytopes that can be built out of regular triangles and squares (except the 5-cell), but that complex does not require (or permit) any of the pentagonal polytopes.{{Efn|name=pentagonal polytopes}}
== Rotations ==
The [[#The 24-cell in the proper sequence of 4-polytopes|regular convex 4-polytopes]] are an [[W:Group action|expression]] of their underlying [[W:Symmetry (geometry)|symmetry]] which is known as [[W:SO(4)|SO(4)]],{{Sfn|Goucher|2019|loc=Spin Groups}} the [[W:Orthogonal group|group]] of rotations{{Sfn|Mamone|Pileio|Levitt|2010|loc=§4.5 Regular Convex 4-Polytopes|pp=1438-1439|ps=; the 24-cell has 1152 symmetry operations (rotations and reflections) as enumerated in Table 2, symmetry group 𝐹<sub>4</sub>.}} about a fixed point in 4-dimensional Euclidean space.{{Efn|[[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space]] may occur around a plane, as when adjacent cells are folded around their plane of intersection (by analogy to the way adjacent faces are folded around their line of intersection).{{Efn|Three dimensional [[W:Rotation (mathematics)#In Euclidean geometry|rotations]] occur around an axis line. [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|Four dimensional rotations]] may occur around a plane. So in three dimensions we may fold planes around a common line (as when folding a flat net of 6 squares up into a cube), and in four dimensions we may fold cells around a common plane (as when [[W:Tesseract#Geometry|folding a flat net of 8 cubes up into a tesseract]]). Folding around a square face is just folding around ''two'' of its orthogonal edges ''at the same time''; there is not enough space in three dimensions to do this, just as there is not enough space in two dimensions to fold around a line (only enough to fold around a point).|name=simple rotations|group=}} But in four dimensions there is yet another way in which rotations can occur, called a '''[[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Geometry of 4D rotations|double rotation]]'''. Double rotations are an emergent phenomenon in the fourth dimension and have no analogy in three dimensions: folding up square faces and folding up cubical cells are both examples of '''simple rotations''', the only kind that occur in fewer than four dimensions. In 3-dimensional rotations, the points in a line remain fixed during the rotation, while every other point moves. In 4-dimensional simple rotations, the points in a plane remain fixed during the rotation, while every other point moves. ''In 4-dimensional double rotations, a point remains fixed during rotation, and every other point moves'' (as in a 2-dimensional rotation!).{{Efn|There are (at least) two kinds of correct [[W:Four-dimensional space#Dimensional analogy|dimensional analogies]]: the usual kind between dimension ''n'' and dimension ''n'' + 1, and the much rarer and less obvious kind between dimension ''n'' and dimension ''n'' + 2. An example of the latter is that rotations in 4-space may take place around a single point, as do rotations in 2-space. Another is the [[W:n-sphere#Other relations|''n''-sphere rule]] that the ''surface area'' of the sphere embedded in ''n''+2 dimensions is exactly 2''π r'' times the ''volume'' enclosed by the sphere embedded in ''n'' dimensions, the most well-known examples being that the circumference of a circle is 2''π r'' times 1, and the surface area of the ordinary sphere is 2''π r'' times 2''r''. Coxeter cites{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=119|loc=§7.1. Dimensional Analogy|ps=: "For instance, seeing that the circumference of a circle is 2''π r'', while the surface of a sphere is 4''π r ''<sup>2</sup>, ... it is unlikely that the use of analogy, unaided by computation, would ever lead us to the correct expression [for the hyper-surface of a hyper-sphere], 2''π'' <sup>2</sup>''r'' <sup>3</sup>."}} this as an instance in which dimensional analogy can fail us as a method, but it is really our failure to recognize whether a one- or two-dimensional analogy is the appropriate method.|name=two-dimensional analogy}}|name=double rotations}}
=== The 3 Cartesian bases of the 24-cell ===
There are three distinct orientations of the tesseractic honeycomb which could be made to coincide with the 24-cell [[#Radially equilateral honeycomb|honeycomb]], depending on which of the 24-cell's three disjoint sets of 8 orthogonal vertices (which set of 4 perpendicular axes, or equivalently, which inscribed basis 16-cell){{Efn|name=three basis 16-cells}} was chosen to align it, just as three tesseracts can be inscribed in the 24-cell, rotated with respect to each other.{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}} The distance from one of these orientations to another is an [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]] through 60 degrees (a [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Double rotations|double rotation]] of 60 degrees in each pair of completely orthogonal invariant planes, around a single fixed point).{{Efn|name=Clifford displacement}} This rotation can be seen most clearly in the hexagonal central planes, where every hexagon rotates to change which of its three diameters is aligned with a coordinate system axis.{{Efn|name=non-orthogonal hexagons|group=}}
=== Planes of rotation ===
[[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space]] can be seen as the composition of two 2-dimensional rotations in completely orthogonal planes.{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|p=6|loc=§5. Four-Dimensional Rotations}} Thus the general rotation in 4-space is a ''double rotation''.{{Sfn|Perez-Gracia|Thomas|2017|loc=§7. Conclusions|ps=; "Rotations in three dimensions are determined by a rotation axis and the rotation angle about it, where the rotation axis is perpendicular to the plane in which points are being rotated. The situation in four dimensions is more complicated. In this case, rotations are determined by two orthogonal planes
and two angles, one for each plane. Cayley proved that a general 4D rotation can always be decomposed into two 4D rotations, each of them being determined by two equal rotation angles up to a sign change."}} There are two important special cases, called a ''simple rotation'' and an ''isoclinic rotation''.{{Efn|A [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|rotation in 4-space]] is completely characterized by choosing an invariant plane and an angle and direction (left or right) through which it rotates, and another angle and direction through which its one completely orthogonal invariant plane rotates. Two rotational displacements are identical if they have the same pair of invariant planes of rotation, through the same angles in the same directions (and hence also the same chiral pairing of directions). Thus the general rotation in 4-space is a '''double rotation''', characterized by ''two'' angles. A '''simple rotation''' is a special case in which one rotational angle is 0.{{Efn|Any double rotation (including an isoclinic rotation) can be seen as the composition of two simple rotations ''a'' and ''b'': the ''left'' double rotation as ''a'' then ''b'', and the ''right'' double rotation as ''b'' then ''a''. Simple rotations are not commutative; left and right rotations (in general) reach different destinations. The difference between a double rotation and its two composing simple rotations is that the double rotation is 4-dimensionally diagonal: each moving vertex reaches its destination ''directly'' without passing through the intermediate point touched by ''a'' then ''b'', or the other intermediate point touched by ''b'' then ''a'', by rotating on a single helical geodesic (so it is the shortest path).{{Efn|name=helical geodesic}} Conversely, any simple rotation can be seen as the composition of two ''equal-angled'' double rotations (a left isoclinic rotation and a right isoclinic rotation),{{Efn|name=one true circle}} as discovered by [[W:Arthur Cayley|Cayley]]; perhaps surprisingly, this composition ''is'' commutative, and is possible for any double rotation as well.{{Sfn|Perez-Gracia|Thomas|2017}}|name=double rotation}} An '''isoclinic rotation''' is a different special case,{{Efn|name=Clifford displacement}} similar but not identical to two simple rotations through the ''same'' angle.{{Efn|name=plane movement in rotations}}|name=identical rotations}}
==== Simple rotations ====
[[Image:24-cell.gif|thumb|A 3D projection of a 24-cell performing a [[W:SO(4)#Geometry of 4D rotations|simple rotation]].{{Sfn|Hise|2011|ps=; Illustration created by Jason Hise with Maya and Macromedia Fireworks.}}]]In 3 dimensions a spinning polyhedron has a single invariant central ''plane of rotation''. The plane is an [[W:Invariant set|invariant set]] because each point in the plane moves in a circle but stays within the plane. Only ''one'' of a polyhedron's central planes can be invariant during a particular rotation; the choice of invariant central plane, and the angular distance and direction it is rotated, completely specifies the rotation. Points outside the invariant plane also move in circles (unless they are on the fixed ''axis of rotation'' perpendicular to the invariant plane), but the circles do not lie within a [[#Geodesics|''central'' plane]].
When a 4-polytope is rotating with only one invariant central plane, the same kind of [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Simple rotations|simple rotation]] is happening that occurs in 3 dimensions. One difference is that instead of a fixed axis of rotation, there is an entire fixed central plane in which the points do not move. The fixed plane is the one central plane that is [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]]{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}} to the invariant plane of rotation. In the 24-cell, there is a simple rotation which will take any vertex ''directly'' to any other vertex, also moving most of the other vertices but leaving at least 2 and at most 6 other vertices fixed (the vertices that the fixed central plane intersects). The vertex moves along a great circle in the invariant plane of rotation between adjacent vertices of a great hexagon, a great square or a great [[W:Digon|digon]], and the completely orthogonal fixed plane is a digon, a square or a hexagon, respectively.{{Efn|In the 24-cell each great square plane is [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] to another great square plane, and each great hexagon plane is completely orthogonal to a plane which intersects only two antipodal vertices: a great [[W:Digon|digon]] plane.|name=pairs of completely orthogonal planes}}
==== Double rotations ====
[[Image:24-cell-orig.gif|thumb|A 3D projection of a 24-cell performing a [[W:SO(4)#Geometry of 4D rotations|double rotation]].{{Sfn|Hise|2007|ps=; Illustration created by Jason Hise with Maya and Macromedia Fireworks.}}]]The points in the completely orthogonal central plane are not ''constrained'' to be fixed. It is also possible for them to be rotating in circles, as a second invariant plane, at a rate independent of the first invariant plane's rotation: a [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Double rotations|double rotation]] in two perpendicular non-intersecting planes{{Efn|name=how planes intersect at a single point}} of rotation at once.{{Efn|name=double rotation}} In a double rotation there is no fixed plane or axis: every point moves except the center point. The angular distance rotated may be different in the two completely orthogonal central planes, but they are always both invariant: their circularly moving points remain within the plane ''as the whole plane tilts sideways'' in the completely orthogonal rotation. A rotation in 4-space always has (at least) ''two'' completely orthogonal invariant planes of rotation, although in a simple rotation the angle of rotation in one of them is 0.
Double rotations come in two [[W:Chiral|chiral]] forms: ''left'' and ''right'' rotations.{{Efn|The adjectives ''left'' and ''right'' are commonly used in two different senses, to distinguish two distinct kinds of pairing. They can refer to alternate directions: the hand on the left side of the body, versus the hand on the right side. Or they can refer to a [[W:Chiral|chiral]] pair of enantiomorphous objects: a left hand is the mirror image of a right hand (like an inside-out glove). In the case of hands the sense intended is rarely ambiguous, because of course the hand on your left side ''is'' the mirror image of the hand on your right side: a hand is either left ''or'' right in both senses. But in the case of double-rotating 4-dimensional objects, only one sense of left versus right properly applies: the enantiomorphous sense, in which the left and right rotation are inside-out mirror images of each other. There ''are'' two directions, which we may call positive and negative, in which moving vertices may be circling on their isoclines, but it would be ambiguous to label those circular directions "right" and "left", since a rotation's direction and its chirality are independent properties: a right (or left) rotation may be circling in either the positive or negative direction. The left rotation is not rotating "to the left", the right rotation is not rotating "to the right", and unlike your left and right hands, double rotations do not lie on the left or right side of the 4-polytope. If double rotations must be analogized to left and right hands, they are better thought of as a pair of clasped hands, centered on the body, because of course they have a common center.|name=clasped hands}} In a double rotation each vertex moves in a spiral along two orthogonal great circles at once.{{Efn|In a double rotation each vertex can be said to move along two completely orthogonal great circles at the same time, but it does not stay within the central plane of either of those original great circles; rather, it moves along a helical geodesic that traverses diagonally between great circles. The two completely orthogonal planes of rotation are said to be ''invariant'' because the points in each stay in their places in the plane ''as the plane moves'', rotating ''and'' tilting sideways by the angle that the ''other'' plane rotates.|name=helical geodesic}} Either the path is right-hand [[W:Screw thread#Handedness|threaded]] (like most screws and bolts), moving along the circles in the "same" directions, or it is left-hand threaded (like a reverse-threaded bolt), moving along the circles in what we conventionally say are "opposite" directions (according to the [[W:Right hand rule|right hand rule]] by which we conventionally say which way is "up" on each of the 4 coordinate axes).{{Sfn|Perez-Gracia|Thomas|2017|loc=§5. A useful mapping|pp=12−13}}
In double rotations of the 24-cell that take vertices to vertices, one invariant plane of rotation contains either a great hexagon, a great square, or only an axis (two vertices, a great digon). The completely orthogonal invariant plane of rotation will necessarily contain a great digon, a great square, or a great hexagon, respectively. The selection of an invariant plane of rotation, a rotational direction and angle through which to rotate it, and a rotational direction and angle through which to rotate its completely orthogonal plane, completely determines the nature of the rotational displacement. In the 24-cell there are several noteworthy kinds of double rotation permitted by these parameters.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1995|loc=(Paper 3) ''Two aspects of the regular 24-cell in four dimensions''|pp=30-32|ps=; §3. The Dodecagonal Aspect;{{Efn|name=Petrie dodecagram and Clifford hexagram}} Coxeter considers the 150°/30° double rotation of period 12 which locates 12 of the 225 distinct 24-cells inscribed in the [[120-cell]], a regular 4-polytope with 120 dodecahedral cells that is the convex hull of the compound of 25 disjoint 24-cells.}}
==== Isoclinic rotations ====
When the angles of rotation in the two completely orthogonal invariant planes are exactly the same, a [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Special property of SO(4) among rotation groups in general|remarkably symmetric]] [[W:Geometric transformation|transformation]] occurs:{{Sfn|Perez-Gracia|Thomas|2017|loc=§2. Isoclinic rotations|pp=2−3}} all the great circle planes Clifford parallel{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} to the pair of invariant planes become pairs of invariant planes of rotation themselves, through that same angle, and the 4-polytope rotates [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinically]] in many directions at once.{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|loc=§6. Angles between two Planes in 4-Space|pp=7-10}} Each vertex moves an equal distance in four orthogonal directions at the same time.{{Efn|In an [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]], each point anywhere in the 4-polytope moves an equal distance in four orthogonal directions at once, on a [[W:8-cell#Radial equilateral symmetry|4-dimensional diagonal]]. The point is displaced a total [[W:Pythagorean distance|Pythagorean distance]] equal to the square root of four times the square of that distance. (In the 4-dimensional case, the orthogonal distance equals half the total Pythagorean distance.) All vertices are displaced to a vertex more than one edge length away.{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}} For example, when the unit-radius 24-cell rotates isoclinically 60° in a hexagon invariant plane and 60° in its completely orthogonal invariant plane,{{Efn|name=pairs of completely orthogonal planes}} each vertex is displaced to another vertex {{radic|3}} (120°) away, moving {{radic|3/4}} ≈ 0.866 (half the {{radic|3}} chord length) in four orthogonal directions.{{Efn|{{radic|3/4}} ≈ 0.866 is the long radius of the {{radic|2}}-edge regular tetrahedron (the unit-radius 16-cell's cell). Those four tetrahedron radii are not orthogonal, and they radiate symmetrically compressed into 3 dimensions (not 4). The four orthogonal {{radic|3/4}} ≈ 0.866 displacements summing to a 120° degree displacement in the 24-cell's characteristic isoclinic rotation{{Efn|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} are not as easy to visualize as radii, but they can be imagined as successive orthogonal steps in a path extending in all 4 dimensions, along the orthogonal edges of a [[5-cell#Orthoschemes|4-orthoscheme]]. In an actual left (or right) isoclinic rotation the four orthogonal {{radic|3/4}} ≈ 0.866 steps of each 120° displacement are concurrent, not successive, so they ''are'' actually symmetrical radii in 4 dimensions. In fact they are four orthogonal [[#Characteristic orthoscheme|mid-edge radii of a unit-radius 24-cell]] centered at the rotating vertex. Finally, in 2 dimensional units, {{radic|3/4}} ≈ 0.866 is the area of the equilateral triangle face of the unit-edge, unit-radius 24-cell. The area of the radial equilateral triangles in a unit-radius radially equilateral polytope is {{radic|3/4}} ≈ 0.866.|name=root 3/4}}|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} In the 24-cell any isoclinic rotation through 60 degrees in a hexagonal plane takes each vertex to a vertex two edge lengths away, rotates ''all 16'' hexagons by 60 degrees, and takes ''every'' great circle polygon (square,{{Efn|In the [[16-cell#Rotations|16-cell]] the 6 orthogonal great squares form 3 pairs of completely orthogonal great circles; each pair is Clifford parallel. In the 24-cell, the 3 inscribed 16-cells lie rotated 60 degrees isoclinically{{Efn|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} with respect to each other; consequently their corresponding vertices are 120 degrees apart on a hexagonal great circle. Pairing their vertices which are 90 degrees apart reveals corresponding square great circles which are Clifford parallel. Each of the 18 square great circles is Clifford parallel not only to one other square great circle in the same 16-cell (the completely orthogonal one), but also to two square great circles (which are completely orthogonal to each other) in each of the other two 16-cells. (Completely orthogonal great circles are Clifford parallel, but not all Clifford parallels are orthogonal.{{Efn|name=only some Clifford parallels are orthogonal}}) A 60 degree isoclinic rotation of the 24-cell in hexagonal invariant planes takes each square great circle to a Clifford parallel (but non-orthogonal) square great circle in a different 16-cell.|name=Clifford parallel squares in the 16-cell and 24-cell}} hexagon or triangle) to a Clifford parallel great circle polygon of the same kind 120 degrees away. An isoclinic rotation is also called a ''Clifford displacement'', after its [[W:William Kingdon Clifford|discoverer]].{{Efn|In a ''[[W:William Kingdon Clifford|Clifford]] displacement'', also known as an [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]], all the Clifford parallel{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} invariant planes are displaced in four orthogonal directions at once: they are rotated by the same angle, and at the same time they are tilted ''sideways'' by that same angle in the completely orthogonal rotation.{{Efn|name=one true circle}} A [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Isoclinic rotations|Clifford displacement]] is [[W:8-cell#Radial equilateral symmetry|4-dimensionally diagonal]].{{Efn|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} Every plane that is Clifford parallel to one of the completely orthogonal planes (including in this case an entire Clifford parallel bundle of 4 hexagons, but not all 16 hexagons) is invariant under the isoclinic rotation: all the points in the plane rotate in circles but remain in the plane, even as the whole plane tilts sideways.{{Efn|name=plane movement in rotations}} All 16 hexagons rotate by the same angle (though only 4 of them do so invariantly). All 16 hexagons are rotated by 60 degrees, and also displaced sideways by 60 degrees to a Clifford parallel hexagon 120 degrees away. All of the other central polygons (e.g. squares) are also displaced to a Clifford parallel polygon 120 degrees away.|name=Clifford displacement}}
The 24-cell in the ''double'' rotation animation appears to turn itself inside out.{{Efn|That a double rotation can turn a 4-polytope inside out is even more noticeable in the [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Double rotations|tesseract double rotation]].}} It appears to, because it actually does, reversing the [[W:Chirality|chirality]] of the whole 4-polytope just the way your bathroom mirror reverses the chirality of your image by a 180 degree reflection. Each 360 degree isoclinic rotation is as if the 24-cell surface had been stripped off like a glove and turned inside out, making a right-hand glove into a left-hand glove (or vice versa).{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=141|loc=§7.x. Historical remarks|ps=; "[[W:August Ferdinand Möbius|Möbius]] realized, as early as 1827, that a four-dimensional rotation would be required to bring two enantiomorphous solids into coincidence. This idea was neatly deployed by [[W:H. G. Wells|H. G. Wells]] in ''The Plattner Story''."}}
In a simple rotation of the 24-cell in a hexagonal plane, each vertex in the plane rotates first along an edge to an adjacent vertex 60 degrees away. But in an isoclinic rotation in ''two'' completely orthogonal planes one of which is a great hexagon,{{Efn|name=pairs of completely orthogonal planes}} each vertex rotates first to a vertex ''two'' edge lengths away ({{radic|3}} and 120° distant). The double 60-degree rotation's helical geodesics pass through every other vertex, missing the vertices in between.{{Efn|In an isoclinic rotation vertices move diagonally, like the [[W:bishop (chess)|bishop]]s in [[W:Chess|chess]]. Vertices in an isoclinic rotation ''cannot'' reach their orthogonally nearest neighbor vertices{{Efn|name=8 nearest vertices}} by double-rotating directly toward them (and also orthogonally to that direction), because that double rotation takes them diagonally between their nearest vertices, missing them, to a vertex farther away in a larger-radius surrounding shell of vertices,{{Efn|name=nearest isoclinic vertices are {{radic|3}} away in third surrounding shell}} the way bishops are confined to the white or black squares of the [[W:Chessboard|chessboard]] and cannot reach squares of the opposite color, even those immediately adjacent.{{Efn|Isoclinic rotations{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} partition the 24 cells (and the 24 vertices) of the 24-cell into two disjoint subsets of 12 cells (and 12 vertices), even and odd (or black and white), which shift places among themselves, in a manner dimensionally analogous to the way the [[W:Bishop (chess)|bishops]]' diagonal moves{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}} restrict them to the black or white squares of the [[W:Chessboard|chessboard]].{{Efn|Left and right isoclinic rotations partition the 24 cells (and 24 vertices) into black and white in the same way.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=156|loc=|ps=: "...the chess-board has an n-dimensional analogue."}} The rotations of all fibrations of the same kind of great polygon use the same chessboard, which is a convention of the coordinate system based on even and odd coordinates. ''Left and right are not colors:'' in either a left (or right) rotation half the moving vertices are black, running along black isoclines through black vertices, and the other half are white vertices, also rotating among themselves.{{Efn|Chirality and even/odd parity are distinct flavors. Things which have even/odd coordinate parity are '''''black or white:''''' the squares of the [[W:Chessboard|chessboard]],{{Efn|Since it is difficult to color points and lines white, we sometimes use black and red instead of black and white. In particular, isocline chords are sometimes shown as black or red ''dashed'' lines.{{Efn|name=interior features}}|name=black and red}} '''cells''', '''vertices''' and the '''isoclines''' which connect them by isoclinic rotation.{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} Everything else is '''''black and white:''''' e.g. adjacent '''face-bonded cell pairs''', or '''edges''' and '''chords''' which are black at one end and white at the other. Things which have [[W:Chirality|chirality]] come in '''''right or left''''' enantiomorphous forms: '''[[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotations]]''' and '''chiral objects''' which include '''[[#Characteristic orthoscheme|characteristic orthoscheme]]s''', '''[[#Chiral symmetry operations|sets of Clifford parallel great polygon planes]]''',{{Efn|name=completely orthogonal Clifford parallels are special}} '''[[W:Fiber bundle|fiber bundle]]s''' of Clifford parallel circles (whether or not the circles themselves are chiral), and the chiral cell rings of tetrahedra found in the [[16-cell#Helical construction|16-cell]] and [[600-cell#Boerdijk–Coxeter helix rings|600-cell]]. Things which have '''''neither''''' an even/odd parity nor a chirality include all '''edges''' and '''faces''' (shared by black and white cells), '''[[#Geodesics|great circle polygons]]''' and their '''[[W:Hopf fibration|fibration]]s''', and non-chiral cell rings such as the 24-cell's [[24-cell#Cell rings|cell rings of octahedra]]. Some things are associated with '''''both''''' an even/odd parity and a chirality: '''isoclines''' are black or white because they connect vertices which are all of the same color, and they ''act'' as left or right chiral objects when they are vertex paths in a left or right rotation, although they have no inherent chirality themselves. Each left (or right) rotation traverses an equal number of black and white isoclines.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}}|name=left-right versus black-white}}|name=isoclinic chessboard}}|name=black and white}} Things moving diagonally move farther than 1 unit of distance in each movement step ({{radic|2}} on the chessboard, {{radic|3}} in the 24-cell), but at the cost of ''missing'' half the destinations.{{Efn|name=one true circle}} However, in an isoclinic rotation of a rigid body all the vertices rotate at once, so every destination ''will'' be reached by some vertex. Moreover, there is another isoclinic rotation in hexagon invariant planes which does take each vertex to an adjacent (nearest) vertex. A 24-cell can displace each vertex to a vertex 60° away (a nearest vertex) by rotating isoclinically by 30° in two completely orthogonal invariant planes (one of them a hexagon), ''not'' by double-rotating directly toward the nearest vertex (and also orthogonally to that direction), but instead by double-rotating directly toward a more distant vertex (and also orthogonally to that direction). This helical 30° isoclinic rotation takes the vertex 60° to its nearest-neighbor vertex by a ''different path'' than a simple 60° rotation would. The path along the helical isocline and the path along the simple great circle have the same 60° arc-length, but they consist of disjoint sets of points (except for their endpoints, the two vertices). They are both geodesic (shortest) arcs, but on two alternate kinds of geodesic circle. One is doubly curved (through all four dimensions), and one is simply curved (lying in a two-dimensional plane).|name=missing the nearest vertices}} Each {{radic|3}} chord of the helical geodesic{{Efn|Although adjacent vertices on the isoclinic geodesic are a {{radic|3}} chord apart, a point on a rigid body under rotation does not travel along a chord: it moves along an arc between the two endpoints of the chord (a longer distance). In a ''simple'' rotation between two vertices {{radic|3}} apart, the vertex moves along the arc of a hexagonal great circle to a vertex two great hexagon edges away, and passes through the intervening hexagon vertex midway. But in an ''isoclinic'' rotation between two vertices {{radic|3}} apart the vertex moves along a helical arc called an isocline (not a planar great circle),{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} which does ''not'' pass through an intervening vertex: it misses the vertex nearest to its midpoint.{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}}|name=isocline misses vertex}} crosses between two Clifford parallel hexagon central planes, and lies in another hexagon central plane that intersects them both.{{Efn|Departing from any vertex V<sub>0</sub> in the original great hexagon plane of isoclinic rotation P<sub>0</sub>, the first vertex reached V<sub>1</sub> is 120 degrees away along a {{radic|3}} chord lying in a different hexagonal plane P<sub>1</sub>. P<sub>1</sub> is inclined to P<sub>0</sub> at a 60° angle.{{Efn|P<sub>0</sub> and P<sub>1</sub> lie in the same hyperplane (the same central cuboctahedron) so their other angle of separation is 0.{{Efn|name=two angles between central planes}}}} The second vertex reached V<sub>2</sub> is 120 degrees beyond V<sub>1</sub> along a second {{radic|3}} chord lying in another hexagonal plane P<sub>2</sub> that is Clifford parallel to P<sub>0</sub>.{{Efn|P<sub>0</sub> and P<sub>2</sub> are 60° apart in ''both'' angles of separation.{{Efn|name=two angles between central planes}} Clifford parallel planes are isoclinic (which means they are separated by two equal angles), and their corresponding vertices are all the same distance apart. Although V<sub>0</sub> and V<sub>2</sub> are ''two'' {{radic|3}} chords apart,{{Efn|V<sub>0</sub> and V<sub>2</sub> are two {{radic|3}} chords apart on the geodesic path of this rotational isocline, but that is not the shortest geodesic path between them. In the 24-cell, it is impossible for two vertices to be more distant than ''one'' {{radic|3}} chord, unless they are antipodal vertices {{radic|4}} apart.{{Efn|name=Geodesic distance}} V<sub>0</sub> and V<sub>2</sub> are ''one'' {{radic|3}} chord apart on some other isocline, and just {{radic|1}} apart on some great hexagon. Between V<sub>0</sub> and V<sub>2</sub>, the isoclinic rotation has gone the long way around the 24-cell over two {{radic|3}} chords to reach a vertex that was only {{radic|1}} away. More generally, isoclines are geodesics because the distance between their successive vertices is the shortest distance between those two vertices in some rotation connecting them, but on the 3-sphere there may be another rotation which is shorter. A path between two vertices along a geodesic is not always the shortest distance between them (even on ordinary great circle geodesics).}} P<sub>0</sub> and P<sub>2</sub> are just one {{radic|1}} edge apart (at every pair of ''nearest'' vertices).}} (Notice that V<sub>1</sub> lies in both intersecting planes P<sub>1</sub> and P<sub>2</sub>, as V<sub>0</sub> lies in both P<sub>0</sub> and P<sub>1</sub>. But P<sub>0</sub> and P<sub>2</sub> have ''no'' vertices in common; they do not intersect.) The third vertex reached V<sub>3</sub> is 120 degrees beyond V<sub>2</sub> along a third {{radic|3}} chord lying in another hexagonal plane P<sub>3</sub> that is Clifford parallel to P<sub>1</sub>. V<sub>0</sub> and V<sub>3</sub> are adjacent vertices, {{radic|1}} apart.{{Efn|name=skew hexagram}} The three {{radic|3}} chords lie in different 8-cells.{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}} V<sub>0</sub> to V<sub>3</sub> is a 360° isoclinic rotation, and one half of the 24-cell's double-loop hexagram<sub>2</sub> Clifford polygon.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}}|name=360 degree geodesic path visiting 3 hexagonal planes}} The {{radic|3}} chords meet at a 60° angle, but since they lie in different planes they form a [[W:Helix|helix]] not a [[#Great triangles|triangle]]. Three {{radic|3}} chords and 360° of rotation takes the vertex to an adjacent vertex, not back to itself. The helix of {{radic|3}} chords closes into a loop only after six {{radic|3}} chords: a 720° rotation twice around the 24-cell{{Efn|An isoclinic rotation by 60° is two simple rotations by 60° at the same time.{{Efn|The composition of two simple 60° rotations in a pair of completely orthogonal invariant planes is a 60° isoclinic rotation in ''four'' pairs of completely orthogonal invariant planes.{{Efn|name=double rotation}} Thus the isoclinic rotation is the compound of four simple rotations, and all 24 vertices rotate in invariant hexagon planes, versus just 6 vertices in a simple rotation.}} It moves all the vertices 120° at the same time, in various different directions. Six successive diagonal rotational increments, of 60°x60° each, move each vertex through 720° on a Möbius double loop called an ''isocline'', ''twice'' around the 24-cell and back to its point of origin, in the ''same time'' (six rotational units) that it would take a simple rotation to take the vertex ''once'' around the 24-cell on an ordinary great circle.{{Efn|name=double threaded}} The helical double loop 4𝝅 isocline is just another kind of ''single'' full circle, of the same time interval and period (6 chords) as the simple great circle. The isocline is ''one'' true circle,{{Efn|name=4-dimensional great circles}} as perfectly round and geodesic as the simple great circle, even through its chords are {{radic|3}} longer, its circumference is 4𝝅 instead of 2𝝅,{{Efn|All 3-sphere isoclines of the same circumference are directly or enantiomorphously congruent circles.{{Efn|name=not all isoclines are circles}} An ordinary great circle is an isocline of circumference <math>2\pi r</math>; simple rotations of unit-radius polytopes take place on 2𝝅 isoclines. Double rotations may have isoclines of other than <math>2\pi r</math> circumference. The ''characteristic rotation'' of a regular 4-polytope is the isoclinic rotation in which the central planes containing its edges are invariant planes of rotation. The 16-cell and 24-cell edge-rotate on isoclines of 4𝝅 circumference. The 600-cell edge-rotates on isoclines of 5𝝅 circumference.|name=isocline circumference}} it circles through four dimensions instead of two,{{Efn|name=Villarceau circles}} and it has two chiral forms (left and right).{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}} Nevertheless, to avoid confusion we always refer to it as an ''isocline'' and reserve the term ''great circle'' for an ordinary great circle in the plane.{{Efn|name=isocline}}|name=one true circle}} on a [[W:Skew polygon#Regular skew polygons in four dimensions|skew]] [[W:Hexagram|hexagram]] with {{radic|3}} edges.{{Efn|name=skew hexagram}} Even though all 24 vertices and all the hexagons rotate at once, a 360 degree isoclinic rotation moves each vertex only halfway around its circuit. After 360 degrees each helix has departed from 3 vertices and reached a fourth vertex adjacent to the original vertex, but has ''not'' arrived back exactly at the vertex it departed from. Each central plane (every hexagon or square in the 24-cell) has rotated 360 degrees ''and'' been tilted sideways all the way around 360 degrees back to its original position (like a coin flipping twice), but the 24-cell's [[W:Orientation entanglement|orientation]] in the 4-space in which it is embedded is now different.{{Sfn|Mebius|2015|loc=Motivation|pp=2-3|ps=; "This research originated from ... the desire to construct a computer implementation of a specific motion of the human arm, known among folk dance experts as the ''Philippine wine dance'' or ''Binasuan'' and performed by physicist [[W:Richard P. Feynman|Richard P. Feynman]] during his [[W:Dirac|Dirac]] memorial lecture 1986{{Sfn|Feynman|Weinberg|1987|loc=The reason for antiparticles}} to show that a single rotation (2𝝅) is not equivalent in all respects to no rotation at all, whereas a double rotation (4𝝅) is."}} Because the 24-cell is now inside-out, if the isoclinic rotation is continued in the ''same'' direction through another 360 degrees, the 24 moving vertices will pass through the other half of the vertices that were missed on the first revolution (the 12 antipodal vertices of the 12 that were hit the first time around), and each isoclinic geodesic ''will'' arrive back at the vertex it departed from, forming a closed six-chord helical loop. It takes a 720 degree isoclinic rotation for each [[#Helical hexagrams and their isoclines|hexagram<sub>2</sub> geodesic]] to complete a circuit through every ''second'' vertex of its six vertices by [[W:Winding number|winding]] around the 24-cell twice, returning the 24-cell to its original chiral orientation.{{Efn|In a 720° isoclinic rotation of a ''rigid'' 24-cell the 24 vertices rotate along four separate Clifford parallel hexagram<sub>2</sub> geodesic loops (six vertices circling in each loop) and return to their original positions.{{Efn|name=Villarceau circles}}}}
The hexagonal winding path that each vertex takes as it loops twice around the 24-cell forms a double helix bent into a [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius ring]], so that the two strands of the double helix form a continuous single strand in a closed loop.{{Efn|Because the 24-cell's helical hexagram<sub>2</sub> geodesic is bent into a twisted ring in the fourth dimension like a [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius strip]], its [[W:Screw thread|screw thread]] doubles back across itself in each revolution, reversing its chirality{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}} but without ever changing its even/odd parity of rotation (black or white).{{Efn|name=black and white}} The 6-vertex isoclinic path forms a Möbius double loop, like a 3-dimensional double helix with the ends of its two parallel 3-vertex helices cross-connected to each other. This 60° isocline{{Efn|A strip of paper can form a [[W:Möbius strip#Polyhedral surfaces and flat foldings|flattened Möbius strip]] in the plane by folding it at <math>60^\circ</math> angles so that its center line lies along an equilateral triangle, and attaching the ends. The shortest strip for which this is possible consists of three equilateral paper triangles, folded at the edges where two triangles meet. Since the loop traverses both sides of each paper triangle, it is a hexagonal loop over six equilateral triangles. Its [[W:Aspect ratio|aspect ratio]]{{snd}}the ratio of the strip's length{{efn|The length of a strip can be measured at its centerline, or by cutting the resulting Möbius strip perpendicularly to its boundary so that it forms a rectangle.}} to its width{{snd}}is {{nowrap|<math>\sqrt 3\approx 1.73</math>.}}}} is a [[W:Skew polygon|skewed]] instance of the [[W:Polygram (geometry)#Regular compound polygons|regular compound polygon]] denoted {6/2}{{=}}2{3} or hexagram<sub>2</sub>.{{Efn|name=skew hexagram}} Successive {{radic|3}} edges belong to different [[#8-cell|8-cells]], as the 720° isoclinic rotation takes each hexagon through all six hexagons in the [[#6-cell rings|6-cell ring]], and each 8-cell through all three 8-cells twice.{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}}|name=double threaded}} In the first revolution the vertex traverses one 3-chord strand of the double helix; in the second revolution it traverses the second 3-chord strand, moving in the same rotational direction with the same handedness (bending either left or right) throughout. Although this isoclinic Möbius [[#6-cell rings|ring]] is a circular spiral through all 4 dimensions, not a 2-dimensional circle, like a great circle it is a geodesic because it is the shortest path from vertex to vertex.{{Efn|A point under isoclinic rotation traverses the diagonal{{Efn|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} straight line of a single '''isoclinic geodesic''', reaching its destination directly, instead of the bent line of two successive '''simple geodesics'''.{{Efn||name=double rotation}} A '''[[W:Geodesic|geodesic]]''' is the ''shortest path'' through a space (intuitively, a string pulled taught between two points). Simple geodesics are great circles lying in a central plane (the only kind of geodesics that occur in 3-space on the 2-sphere). Isoclinic geodesics are different: they do ''not'' lie in a single plane; they are 4-dimensional [[W:Helix|spirals]] rather than simple 2-dimensional circles.{{Efn|name=helical geodesic}} But they are not like 3-dimensional [[W:Screw threads|screw threads]] either, because they form a closed loop like any circle.{{Efn|name=double threaded}} Isoclinic geodesics are ''4-dimensional great circles'', and they are just as circular as 2-dimensional circles: in fact, twice as circular, because they curve in ''two'' orthogonal great circles at once.{{Efn|Isoclinic geodesics or ''isoclines'' are 4-dimensional great circles in the sense that they are 1-dimensional geodesic ''lines'' that curve in 4-space in two orthogonal great circles at once.{{Efn|name=not all isoclines are circles}} They should not be confused with ''great 2-spheres'',{{Sfn|Stillwell|2001|p=24}} which are the 4-dimensional analogues of great circles (great 1-spheres).{{Efn|name=great 2-spheres}} Discrete isoclines are polygons;{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}} discrete great 2-spheres are polyhedra.|name=4-dimensional great circles}} They are true circles,{{Efn|name=one true circle}} and even form [[W:Hopf fibration|fibrations]] like ordinary 2-dimensional great circles.{{Efn|name=hexagonal fibrations}}{{Efn|name=square fibrations}} These '''isoclines''' are geodesic 1-dimensional lines embedded in a 4-dimensional space. On the 3-sphere{{Efn|All isoclines are [[W:Geodesics|geodesics]], and isoclines on the [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]] are circles (curving equally in each dimension), but not all isoclines on 3-manifolds in 4-space are circles.|name=not all isoclines are circles}} they always occur in pairs{{Efn|Isoclines on the 3-sphere occur in non-intersecting pairs of even/odd coordinate parity.{{Efn|name=black and white}} A single black or white isocline forms a [[W:Möbius loop|Möbius loop]] called the {1,1} torus knot or Villarceau circle{{Sfn|Dorst|2019|loc=§1. Villarceau Circles|p=44|ps=; "In mathematics, the path that the (1, 1) knot on the torus traces is also known as a [[W:Villarceau circle|Villarceau circle]]. Villarceau circles are usually introduced as two intersecting circles that are the cross-section of a torus by a well-chosen plane cutting it. Picking one such circle and rotating it around the torus axis, the resulting family of circles can be used to rule the torus. By nesting tori smartly, the collection of all such circles then form a [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]].... we prefer to consider the Villarceau circle as the (1, 1) torus knot rather than as a planar cut."}} in which each of two "circles" linked in a Möbius "figure eight" loop traverses through all four dimensions.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}} The double loop is a true circle in four dimensions.{{Efn|name=one true circle}} Even and odd isoclines are also linked, not in a Möbius loop but as a [[W:Hopf link|Hopf link]] of two non-intersecting circles,{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} as are all the Clifford parallel isoclines of a [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fiber bundle]].|name=Villarceau circles}} as [[W:Villarceau circle|Villarceau circle]]s on the [[W:Clifford torus|Clifford torus]], the geodesic paths traversed by vertices in an [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Double rotations|isoclinic rotation]]. They are [[W:Helix|helices]] bent into a [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius loop]] in the fourth dimension, taking a diagonal [[W:Winding number|winding route]] around the 3-sphere through the non-adjacent vertices{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}} of a 4-polytope's [[W:Skew polygon#Regular skew polygons in four dimensions|skew]] '''Clifford polygon'''.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}}|name=isoclinic geodesic}}
=== Clifford parallel polytopes ===
Two planes are also called ''isoclinic'' if an isoclinic rotation will bring them together.{{Efn|name=two angles between central planes}} The isoclinic planes are precisely those central planes with Clifford parallel geodesic great circles.{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|loc=Relations to Clifford parallelism|pp=8-9}} Clifford parallel great circles do not intersect,{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} so isoclinic great circle polygons have disjoint vertices. In the 24-cell every hexagonal central plane is isoclinic to three others, and every square central plane is isoclinic to five others. We can pick out 4 mutually isoclinic (Clifford parallel) great hexagons (four different ways) covering all 24 vertices of the 24-cell just once (a hexagonal fibration).{{Efn|The 24-cell has four sets of 4 non-intersecting [[W:Clifford parallel|Clifford parallel]]{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} great circles each passing through 6 vertices (a great hexagon), with only one great hexagon in each set passing through each vertex, and the 4 hexagons in each set reaching all 24 vertices.{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}} Each set constitutes a discrete [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]] of interlocking great circles. The 24-cell can also be divided (eight different ways) into 4 disjoint subsets of 6 vertices (hexagrams) that do ''not'' lie in a hexagonal central plane, each skew [[#Helical hexagrams and their isoclines|hexagram forming an isoclinic geodesic or ''isocline'']] that is the rotational circle traversed by those 6 vertices in one particular left or right [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]]. Each of these sets of four Clifford parallel isoclines belongs to one of the four discrete Hopf fibrations of hexagonal great circles.{{Efn|Each set of [[W:Clifford parallel|Clifford parallel]] [[#Geodesics|great circle]] polygons is a different bundle of fibers than the corresponding set of Clifford parallel isocline{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} polygrams, but the two [[W:Fiber bundles|fiber bundles]] together constitute the ''same'' discrete [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]], because they enumerate the 24 vertices together by their intersection in the same distinct (left or right) isoclinic rotation. They are the [[W:Warp and woof|warp and woof]] of the same woven fabric that is the fibration.|name=great circles and isoclines are same fibration|name=warp and woof}}|name=hexagonal fibrations}} We can pick out 6 mutually isoclinic (Clifford parallel) great squares{{Efn|Each great square plane is isoclinic (Clifford parallel) to five other square planes but [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] to only one of them.{{Efn|name=Clifford parallel squares in the 16-cell and 24-cell}} Every pair of completely orthogonal planes has Clifford parallel great circles, but not all Clifford parallel great circles are orthogonal (e.g., none of the hexagonal geodesics in the 24-cell are mutually orthogonal). There is also another way in which completely orthogonal planes are in a distinguished category of Clifford parallel planes: they are not [[W:Chiral|chiral]], or strictly speaking they possess both chiralities. A pair of isoclinic (Clifford parallel) planes is either a ''left pair'' or a ''right pair'', unless they are separated by two angles of 90° (completely orthogonal planes) or 0° (coincident planes).{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|p=8|loc=Left and Right Pairs of Isoclinic Planes}} Most isoclinic planes are brought together only by a left isoclinic rotation or a right isoclinic rotation, respectively. Completely orthogonal planes are special: the pair of planes is both a left and a right pair, so either a left or a right isoclinic rotation will bring them together. This occurs because isoclinic square planes are 180° apart at all vertex pairs: not just Clifford parallel but completely orthogonal. The isoclines (chiral vertex paths){{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} of 90° isoclinic rotations are special for the same reason. Left and right isoclines loop through the same set of antipodal vertices (hitting both ends of each [[16-cell#Helical construction|16-cell axis]]), instead of looping through disjoint left and right subsets of black or white antipodal vertices (hitting just one end of each axis), as the left and right isoclines of all other fibrations do.|name=completely orthogonal Clifford parallels are special}} (three different ways) covering all 24 vertices of the 24-cell just once (a square fibration).{{Efn|The 24-cell has three sets of 6 non-intersecting Clifford parallel great circles each passing through 4 vertices (a great square), with only one great square in each set passing through each vertex, and the 6 squares in each set reaching all 24 vertices.{{Efn|name=three square fibrations}} Each set constitutes a discrete [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]] of 6 interlocking great squares, which is simply the compound of the three inscribed 16-cell's discrete Hopf fibrations of 2 interlocking great squares. The 24-cell can also be divided (six different ways) into 3 disjoint subsets of 8 vertices (octagrams) that do ''not'' lie in a square central plane, but comprise a 16-cell and lie on a skew [[#Helical octagrams and thei isoclines|octagram<sub>3</sub> forming an isoclinic geodesic or ''isocline'']] that is the rotational cirle traversed by those 8 vertices in one particular left or right [[16-cell#Rotations|isoclinic rotation]] as they rotate positions within the 16-cell.{{Efn|name=warp and woof}}|name=square fibrations}} Every isoclinic rotation taking vertices to vertices corresponds to a discrete fibration.{{Efn|name=fibrations are distinguished only by rotations}}
Two dimensional great circle polygons are not the only polytopes in the 24-cell which are parallel in the Clifford sense.{{Sfn|Tyrrell|Semple|1971|pp=1-9|loc=§1. Introduction}} Congruent polytopes of 2, 3 or 4 dimensions can be said to be Clifford parallel in 4 dimensions if their corresponding vertices are all the same distance apart. The three 16-cells inscribed in the 24-cell are Clifford parallels. Clifford parallel polytopes are ''completely disjoint'' polytopes.{{Efn|Polytopes are '''completely disjoint''' if all their ''element sets'' are disjoint: they do not share any vertices, edges, faces or cells. They may still overlap in space, sharing 4-content, volume, area, or linage.|name=completely disjoint}} A 60 degree isoclinic rotation in hexagonal planes takes each 16-cell to a disjoint 16-cell. Like all [[#Double rotations|double rotations]], isoclinic rotations come in two [[W:Chiral|chiral]] forms: there is a disjoint 16-cell to the ''left'' of each 16-cell, and another to its ''right''.{{Efn|Visualize the three [[16-cell]]s inscribed in the 24-cell (left, right, and middle), and the rotation which takes them to each other. [[#Reciprocal constructions from 8-cell and 16-cell|The vertices of the middle 16-cell lie on the (w, x, y, z) coordinate axes]];{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}} the other two are rotated 60° [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinically]] to its left and its right. The 24-vertex 24-cell is a compound of three 16-cells, whose three sets of 8 vertices are distributed around the 24-cell symmetrically; each vertex is surrounded by 8 others (in the 3-dimensional space of the 4-dimensional 24-cell's ''surface''), the way the vertices of a cube surround its center.{{Efn|name=24-cell vertex figure}} The 8 surrounding vertices (the cube corners) lie in other 16-cells: 4 in the other 16-cell to the left, and 4 in the other 16-cell to the right. They are the vertices of two tetrahedra inscribed in the cube, one belonging (as a cell) to each 16-cell. If the 16-cell edges are {{radic|2}}, each vertex of the compound of three 16-cells is {{radic|1}} away from its 8 surrounding vertices in other 16-cells. Now visualize those {{radic|1}} distances as the edges of the 24-cell (while continuing to visualize the disjoint 16-cells). The {{radic|1}} edges form great hexagons of 6 vertices which run around the 24-cell in a central plane. ''Four'' hexagons cross at each vertex (and its antipodal vertex), inclined at 60° to each other.{{Efn|name=cuboctahedral hexagons}} The [[#Great hexagons|hexagons]] are not perpendicular to each other, or to the 16-cells' perpendicular [[#Great squares|square central planes]].{{Efn|name=non-orthogonal hexagons}} The left and right 16-cells form a tesseract.{{Efn|Each pair of the three 16-cells inscribed in the 24-cell forms a 4-dimensional [[W:Tesseract|hypercube (a tesseract or 8-cell)]], in [[#Relationships among interior polytopes|dimensional analogy]] to the way two tetrahedra form a cube: the two 8-vertex 16-cells are inscribed in the 16-vertex tesseract, occupying its alternate vertices. The third 16-cell does not lie within the tesseract; its 8 vertices protrude from the sides of the tesseract, forming a cubic pyramid on each of the tesseract's cubic cells (as in [[#Reciprocal constructions from 8-cell and 16-cell|Gosset's construction of the 24-cell]]). The three pairs of 16-cells form three tesseracts.{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}} The tesseracts share vertices, but the 16-cells are completely disjoint.{{Efn|name=completely disjoint}}|name=three 16-cells form three tesseracts}} Two 16-cells have vertex-pairs which are one {{radic|1}} edge (one hexagon edge) apart. But a [[#Simple rotations|''simple'' rotation]] of 60° will not take one whole 16-cell to another 16-cell, because their vertices are 60° apart in different directions, and a simple rotation has only one hexagonal plane of rotation. One 16-cell ''can'' be taken to another 16-cell by a 60° [[#Isoclinic rotations|''isoclinic'' rotation]], because an isoclinic rotation is [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]] symmetric: four [[#Clifford parallel polytopes|Clifford parallel hexagonal planes]] rotate together, but in four different rotational directions,{{Efn|name=Clifford displacement}} taking each 16-cell to another 16-cell. But since an isoclinic 60° rotation is a ''diagonal'' rotation by 60° in ''two'' orthogonal great circles at once,{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} the corresponding vertices of the 16-cell and the 16-cell it is taken to are 120° apart: ''two'' {{radic|1}} hexagon edges (or one {{radic|3}} hexagon chord) apart, not one {{radic|1}} edge (60°) apart.{{Efn|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} By the [[W:Chiral|chiral]] diagonal nature of isoclinic rotations, the 16-cell ''cannot'' reach the adjacent 16-cell (whose vertices are one {{radic|1}} edge away) by rotating toward it;{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}} it can only reach the 16-cell ''beyond'' it (120° away). But of course, the 16-cell beyond the 16-cell to its right is the 16-cell to its left. So a 60° isoclinic rotation ''will'' take every 16-cell to another 16-cell: a 60° ''right'' isoclinic rotation will take the middle 16-cell to the 16-cell we may have originally visualized as the ''left'' 16-cell, and a 60° ''left'' isoclinic rotation will take the middle 16-cell to the 16-cell we visualized as the ''right'' 16-cell. If so, that was not an error in our visualization; there are two chiral images we can ascribe to the 24-cell, from mirror-image viewpoints which turn the 24-cell inside-out. But from either viewpoint, the 16-cell to the "left" is the one reached by the left isoclinic rotation, as that is the only [[#Double rotations|sense in which the two 16-cells are left or right]] of each other.{{Efn|name=clasped hands}}|name=three isoclinic 16-cells}}
All Clifford parallel 4-polytopes are related by an isoclinic rotation,{{Efn|name=Clifford displacement}} but not all isoclinic polytopes are Clifford parallels (completely disjoint).{{Efn|All isoclinic ''planes'' are Clifford parallels (completely disjoint).{{Efn|name=completely disjoint}} Three and four dimensional cocentric objects may intersect (sharing elements) but still be related by an isoclinic rotation. Polyhedra and 4-polytopes may be isoclinic and ''not'' disjoint, if all of their corresponding planes are either Clifford parallel, or cocellular (in the same hyperplane) or coincident (the same plane).}} The three 8-cells in the 24-cell are isoclinic but not Clifford parallel. Like the 16-cells, they are rotated 60 degrees isoclinically with respect to each other, but their vertices are not all disjoint (and therefore not all equidistant). Each vertex occurs in two of the three 8-cells (as each 16-cell occurs in two of the three 8-cells).{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}}
Isoclinic rotations relate the convex regular 4-polytopes to each other. An isoclinic rotation of a single 16-cell will generate{{Efn|By ''generate'' we mean simply that some vertex of the first polytope will visit each vertex of the generated polytope in the course of the rotation.}} a 24-cell. A simple rotation of a single 16-cell will not, because its vertices will not reach either of the other two 16-cells' vertices in the course of the rotation. An isoclinic rotation of the 24-cell will generate the 600-cell, and an isoclinic rotation of the 600-cell will generate the 120-cell. (Or they can all be generated directly by an isoclinic rotation of the 16-cell, generating isoclinic copies of itself.) The different convex regular 4-polytopes nest inside each other, and multiple instances of the same 4-polytope hide next to each other in the Clifford parallel spaces that comprise the 3-sphere.{{Sfn|Tyrrell|Semple|1971|loc=Clifford Parallel Spaces and Clifford Reguli|pp=20-33}} For an object of more than one dimension, the only way to reach these parallel subspaces directly is by isoclinic rotation. Like a key operating a four-dimensional lock, an object must twist in two completely perpendicular tumbler cylinders at once in order to move the short distance between Clifford parallel subspaces.
=== Rings ===
In the 24-cell there are sets of rings of six different kinds, described separately in detail in other sections of [[24-cell|this article]]. This section describes how the different kinds of rings are [[#Relationships among interior polytopes|intertwined]].
The 24-cell contains four kinds of [[#Geodesics|geodesic fibers]] (polygonal rings running through vertices): [[#Great squares|great circle squares]] and their [[16-cell#Helical construction|isoclinic helix octagrams]],{{Efn|name=square fibrations}} and [[#Great hexagons|great circle hexagons]] and their [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic helix hexagrams]].{{Efn|name=hexagonal fibrations}} It also contains two kinds of [[24-cell#Cell rings|cell rings]] (chains of octahedra bent into a ring in the fourth dimension): four octahedra connected vertex-to-vertex and bent into a square, and six octahedra connected face-to-face and bent into a hexagon.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1970|loc=§8. The simplex, cube, cross-polytope and 24-cell|p=18|ps=; Coxeter studied cell rings in the general case of their geometry and [[W:Group theory|group theory]], identifying each cell ring as a [[W:Polytope|polytope]] in its own right which fills a three-dimensional manifold (such as the [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]]) with its corresponding [[W:Honeycomb (geometry)|honeycomb]]. He found that cell rings follow [[W:Petrie polygon|Petrie polygon]]s{{Efn|name=Petrie dodecagram and Clifford hexagram}} and some (but not all) cell rings and their honeycombs are ''twisted'', occurring in left- and right-handed [[W:chiral|chiral]] forms. Specifically, he found that since the 24-cell's octahedral cells have opposing faces, the cell rings in the 24-cell are of the non-chiral (directly congruent) kind.{{Efn|name=6-cell ring is not chiral}} Each of the 24-cell's cell rings has its corresponding honeycomb in Euclidean (rather than hyperbolic) space, so the 24-cell tiles 4-dimensional Euclidean space by translation to form the [[W:24-cell honeycomb|24-cell honeycomb]].}}{{Sfn|Banchoff|2013|ps=, studied the decomposition of regular 4-polytopes into honeycombs of tori tiling the [[W:Clifford torus|Clifford torus]], showed how the honeycombs correspond to [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]]s, and made a particular study of the [[#6-cell rings|24-cell's 4 rings of 6 octahedral cells]] with illustrations.}}
==== 4-cell rings ====
Four unit-edge-length octahedra can be connected vertex-to-vertex along a common axis of length 4{{radic|2}}. The axis can then be bent into a square of edge length {{radic|2}}. Although it is possible to do this in a space of only three dimensions, that is not how it occurs in the 24-cell. Although the {{radic|2}} axes of the four octahedra occupy the same plane, forming one of the 18 {{radic|2}} great squares of the 24-cell, each octahedron occupies a different 3-dimensional hyperplane,{{Efn|Just as each face of a [[W:Polyhedron|polyhedron]] occupies a different (2-dimensional) face plane, each cell of a [[W:Polychoron|polychoron]] occupies a different (3-dimensional) cell [[W:Hyperplane|hyperplane]].{{Efn|name=hyperplanes}}}} and all four dimensions are utilized. The 24-cell can be partitioned into 6 such 4-cell rings (three different ways), mutually interlinked like adjacent links in a chain (but these [[W:Link (knot theory)|links]] all have a common center). An [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]] in a great square plane by a multiple of 90° takes each octahedron in the ring to an octahedron in the ring.
==== 6-cell rings ====
[[File:Six face-bonded octahedra.jpg|thumb|400px|A 4-dimensional ring of 6 face-bonded octahedra, bounded by two intersecting sets of three Clifford parallel great hexagons of different colors, cut and laid out flat in 3 dimensional space.{{Efn|name=6-cell ring}}]]Six regular octahedra can be connected face-to-face along a common axis that passes through their centers of volume, forming a stack or column with only triangular faces. In a space of four dimensions, the axis can then be bent 60° in the fourth dimension at each of the six octahedron centers, in a plane orthogonal to all three orthogonal central planes of each octahedron, such that the top and bottom triangular faces of the column become coincident. The column becomes a ring around a hexagonal axis. The 24-cell can be partitioned into 4 such rings (four different ways), mutually interlinked. Because the hexagonal axis joins cell centers (not vertices), it is not a great hexagon of the 24-cell.{{Efn|The axial hexagon of the 6-octahedron ring does not intersect any vertices or edges of the 24-cell, but it does hit faces. In a unit-edge-length 24-cell, it has edges of length 1/2.{{Efn|When unit-edge octahedra are placed face-to-face the distance between their centers of volume is {{radic|2/3}} ≈ 0.816.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=292-293|loc=Table I(i): Octahedron}} When 24 face-bonded octahedra are bent into a 24-cell lying on the 3-sphere, the centers of the octahedra are closer together in 4-space. Within the curved 3-dimensional surface space filled by the 24 cells, the cell centers are still {{radic|2/3}} apart along the curved geodesics that join them. But on the straight chords that join them, which dip inside the 3-sphere, they are only 1/2 edge length apart.}} Because it joins six cell centers, the axial hexagon is a great hexagon of the smaller dual 24-cell that is formed by joining the 24 cell centers.{{Efn|name=common core}}}} However, six great hexagons can be found in the ring of six octahedra, running along the edges of the octahedra. In the column of six octahedra (before it is bent into a ring) there are six spiral paths along edges running up the column: three parallel helices spiraling clockwise, and three parallel helices spiraling counterclockwise. Each clockwise helix intersects each counterclockwise helix at two vertices three edge lengths apart. Bending the column into a ring changes these helices into great circle hexagons.{{Efn|There is a choice of planes in which to fold the column into a ring, but they are equivalent in that they produce congruent rings. Whichever folding planes are chosen, each of the six helices joins its own two ends and forms a simple great circle hexagon. These hexagons are ''not'' helices: they lie on ordinary flat great circles. Three of them are Clifford parallel{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} and belong to one [[#Great hexagons|hexagonal]] fibration. They intersect the other three, which belong to another hexagonal fibration. The three parallel great circles of each fibration spiral around each other in the sense that they form a [[W:Link (knot theory)|link]] of three ordinary circles, but they are not twisted: the 6-cell ring has no [[W:Torsion of a curve|torsion]], either clockwise or counterclockwise.{{Efn|name=6-cell ring is not chiral}}|name=6-cell ring}} The ring has two sets of three great hexagons, each on three Clifford parallel great circles.{{Efn|The three great hexagons are Clifford parallel, which is different than ordinary parallelism.{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} Clifford parallel great hexagons pass through each other like adjacent links of a chain, forming a [[W:Hopf link|Hopf link]]. Unlike links in a 3-dimensional chain, they share the same center point. In the 24-cell, Clifford parallel great hexagons occur in sets of four, not three. The fourth parallel hexagon lies completely outside the 6-cell ring; its 6 vertices are completely disjoint from the ring's 18 vertices.}} The great hexagons in each parallel set of three do not intersect, but each intersects the other three great hexagons (to which it is not Clifford parallel) at two antipodal vertices.
A [[#Simple rotations|simple rotation]] in any of the great hexagon planes by a multiple of 60° rotates only that hexagon invariantly, taking each vertex in that hexagon to a vertex in the same hexagon. An [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]] by 60° in any of the six great hexagon planes rotates all three Clifford parallel great hexagons invariantly, and takes each octahedron in the ring to a ''non-adjacent'' octahedron in the ring.{{Efn|An isoclinic rotation by a multiple of 60° takes even-numbered octahedra in the ring to even-numbered octahedra, and odd-numbered octahedra to odd-numbered octahedra.{{Efn|In the column of 6 octahedral cells, we number the cells 0-5 going up the column. We also label each vertex with an integer 0-5 based on how many edge lengths it is up the column.}} It is impossible for an even-numbered octahedron to reach an odd-numbered octahedron, or vice versa, by a left or a right isoclinic rotation alone.{{Efn|name=black and white}}|name=black and white octahedra}}
Each isoclinically displaced octahedron is also rotated itself. After a 360° isoclinic rotation each octahedron is back in the same position, but in a different orientation. In a 720° isoclinic rotation, its vertices are returned to their original [[W:Orientation entanglement|orientation]].
Four Clifford parallel great hexagons comprise a discrete fiber bundle covering all 24 vertices in a [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]]. The 24-cell has four such [[#Great hexagons|discrete hexagonal fibrations]] <math>F_a, F_b, F_c, F_d</math>. Each great hexagon belongs to just one fibration, and the four fibrations are defined by disjoint sets of four great hexagons each.{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|loc=§8.3 Properties of the Hopf Fibration|pp=14-16|ps=; Corollary 9. Every great circle belongs to a unique right [(and left)] Hopf bundle.}} Each fibration is the domain (container) of a unique left-right pair of isoclinic rotations (left and right Hopf fiber bundles).{{Efn|The choice of a partitioning of a regular 4-polytope into cell rings (a fibration) is arbitrary, because all of its cells are identical. No particular fibration is distinguished, ''unless'' the 4-polytope is rotating. Each fibration corresponds to a left-right pair of isoclinic rotations in a particular set of Clifford parallel invariant central planes of rotation. In the 24-cell, distinguishing a hexagonal fibration{{Efn|name=hexagonal fibrations}} means choosing a cell-disjoint set of four 6-cell rings that is the unique container of a left-right pair of isoclinic rotations in four Clifford parallel hexagonal invariant planes. The left and right rotations take place in chiral subspaces of that container,{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|p=12|loc=§8 The Construction of Hopf Fibrations; 3}} but the fibration and the octahedral cell rings themselves are not chiral objects.{{Efn|name=6-cell ring is not chiral}}|name=fibrations are distinguished only by rotations}}
Four cell-disjoint 6-cell rings also comprise each discrete fibration defined by four Clifford parallel great hexagons. Each 6-cell ring contains only 18 of the 24 vertices, and only 6 of the 16 great hexagons, which we see illustrated above running along the cell ring's edges: 3 spiraling clockwise and 3 counterclockwise. Those 6 hexagons running along the cell ring's edges are not among the set of four parallel hexagons which define the fibration. For example, one of the four 6-cell rings in fibration <math>F_a</math> contains 3 parallel hexagons running clockwise along the cell ring's edges from fibration <math>F_b</math>, and 3 parallel hexagons running counterclockwise along the cell ring's edges from fibration <math>F_c</math>, but that cell ring contains no great hexagons from fibration <math>F_a</math> or fibration <math>F_d</math>.
The 24-cell contains 16 great hexagons, divided into four disjoint sets of four hexagons, each disjoint set uniquely defining a fibration. Each fibration is also a distinct set of four cell-disjoint 6-cell rings. The 24-cell has exactly 16 distinct 6-cell rings. Each 6-cell ring belongs to just one of the four fibrations.{{Efn|The dual polytope of the 24-cell is another 24-cell. It can be constructed by placing vertices at the 24 cell centers. Each 6-cell ring corresponds to a great hexagon in the dual 24-cell, so there are 16 distinct 6-cell rings, as there are 16 distinct great hexagons, each belonging to just one fibration.}}
==== Helical hexagrams and their isoclines ====
Another kind of geodesic fiber, the [[#Isoclinic rotations|helical hexagram isoclines]], can be found within a 6-cell ring of octahedra. Each of these geodesics runs through every ''second'' vertex of a skew [[W:Hexagram|hexagram]]<sub>2</sub>, which in the unit-radius, unit-edge-length 24-cell has six {{radic|3}} edges. The hexagram does not lie in a single central plane, but is composed of six linked {{radic|3}} chords from the six different hexagon great circles in the 6-cell ring. The isocline geodesic fiber is the path of an isoclinic rotation,{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} a helical rather than simply circular path around the 24-cell which links vertices two edge lengths apart and consequently must wrap twice around the 24-cell before completing its six-vertex loop.{{Efn|The chord-path of an isocline (the geodesic along which a vertex moves under isoclinic rotation) may be called the 4-polytope's '''Clifford polygon''', as it is the skew polygonal shape of the rotational circles traversed by the 4-polytope's vertices in its characteristic [[W:Clifford displacement|Clifford displacement]].{{Sfn|Tyrrell|Semple|1971|loc=Linear Systems of Clifford Parallels|pp=34-57}} The isocline is a helical Möbius double loop which reverses its chirality twice in the course of a full double circuit. The double loop is entirely contained within a single [[24-cell#Cell rings|cell ring]], where it follows chords connecting even (odd) vertices: typically opposite vertices of adjacent cells, two edge lengths apart.{{Efn|name=black and white}} Both "halves" of the double loop pass through each cell in the cell ring, but intersect only two even (odd) vertices in each even (odd) cell. Each pair of intersected vertices in an even (odd) cell lie opposite each other on the [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius strip]], exactly one edge length apart. Thus each cell has both helices passing through it, which are Clifford parallels{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} of opposite chirality at each pair of parallel points. Globally these two helices are a single connected circle of ''both'' chiralities, with no net [[W:Torsion of a curve|torsion]]. An isocline acts as a left (or right) isocline when traversed by a left (or right) rotation (of different fibrations).{{Efn|name=one true circle}}|name=Clifford polygon}} Rather than a flat hexagon, it forms a [[W:Skew polygon|skew]] hexagram out of two three-sided 360 degree half-loops: open triangles joined end-to-end to each other in a six-sided Möbius loop.{{Efn|name=double threaded}}
Each 6-cell ring contains six such hexagram isoclines, three black and three white, that connect even and odd vertices respectively.{{Efn|Only one kind of 6-cell ring exists, not two different chiral kinds (right-handed and left-handed), because octahedra have opposing faces and form untwisted cell rings. In addition to two sets of three Clifford parallel{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} [[#Great hexagons|great hexagons]], three black and three white [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic hexagram geodesics]] run through the [[#6-cell rings|6-cell ring]].{{Efn|name=hexagonal fibrations}} Each of these chiral skew [[W:Hexagram|hexagram]]s lies on a different kind of circle called an ''isocline'',{{Efn|name=not all isoclines are circles}} a helical circle [[W:Winding number|winding]] through all four dimensions instead of lying in a single plane.{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} These helical great circles occur in Clifford parallel [[W:Hopf fibration|fiber bundles]] just as ordinary planar great circles do. In the 6-cell ring, black and white hexagrams pass through even and odd vertices respectively, and miss the vertices in between, so the isoclines are disjoint.{{Efn|name=black and white}}|name=6-cell ring is not chiral}} Each of the three black-white pairs of isoclines belongs to one of the three fibrations in which the 6-cell ring occurs. Each fibration's right (or left) rotation traverses two black isoclines and two white isoclines in parallel, rotating all 24 vertices.{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}}
Beginning at any vertex at one end of the column of six octahedra, we can follow an isoclinic path of {{radic|3}} chords of an isocline from octahedron to octahedron. In the 24-cell the {{radic|1}} edges are [[#Great hexagons|great hexagon]] edges (and octahedron edges); in the column of six octahedra we see six great hexagons running along the octahedra's edges. The {{radic|3}} chords are great hexagon diagonals, joining great hexagon vertices two {{radic|1}} edges apart. We find them in the ring of six octahedra running from a vertex in one octahedron to a vertex in the next octahedron, passing through the face shared by the two octahedra (but not touching any of the face's 3 vertices). Each {{radic|3}} chord is a chord of just one great hexagon (an edge of a [[#Great triangles|great triangle]] inscribed in that great hexagon), but successive {{radic|3}} chords belong to different great hexagons.{{Efn|name=360 degree geodesic path visiting 3 hexagonal planes}} At each vertex the isoclinic path of {{radic|3}} chords bends 60 degrees in two central planes{{Efn|Two central planes in which the path bends 60° at the vertex are (a) the great hexagon plane that the chord ''before'' the vertex belongs to, and (b) the great hexagon plane that the chord ''after'' the vertex belongs to. Plane (b) contains the 120° isocline chord joining the original vertex to a vertex in great hexagon plane (c), Clifford parallel to (a); the vertex moves over this chord to this next vertex. The angle of inclination between the Clifford parallel (isoclinic) great hexagon planes (a) and (c) is also 60°. In this 60° interval of the isoclinic rotation, great hexagon plane (a) rotates 60° within itself ''and'' tilts 60° in an orthogonal plane (not plane (b)) to become great hexagon plane (c). The three great hexagon planes (a), (b) and (c) are not orthogonal (they are inclined at 60° to each other), but (a) and (b) are two central hexagons in the same cuboctahedron, and (b) and (c) likewise in an orthogonal cuboctahedron.{{Efn|name=cuboctahedral hexagons}}}} at once: 60 degrees around the great hexagon that the chord before the vertex belongs to, and 60 degrees into the plane of a different great hexagon entirely, that the chord after the vertex belongs to.{{Efn|At each vertex there is only one adjacent great hexagon plane that the isocline can bend 60 degrees into: the isoclinic path is ''deterministic'' in the sense that it is linear, not branching, because each vertex in the cell ring is a place where just two of the six great hexagons contained in the cell ring cross. If each great hexagon is given edges and chords of a particular color (as in the 6-cell ring illustration), we can name each great hexagon by its color, and each kind of vertex by a hyphenated two-color name. The cell ring contains 18 vertices named by the 9 unique two-color combinations; each vertex and its antipodal vertex have the same two colors in their name, since when two great hexagons intersect they do so at antipodal vertices. Each isoclinic skew hexagram{{Efn|Each half of a skew hexagram is an open triangle of three {{radic|3}} chords, the two open ends of which are one {{radic|1}} edge length apart. The two halves, like the whole isocline, have no inherent chirality but the same parity-color (black or white). The halves are the two opposite "edges" of a [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius strip]] that is {{radic|1}} wide; it actually has only one edge, which is a single continuous circle with 6 chords.|name=skew hexagram}} contains one {{radic|3}} chord of each color, and visits 6 of the 9 different color-pairs of vertex.{{Efn|Each vertex of the 6-cell ring is intersected by two skew hexagrams of the same parity (black or white) belonging to different fibrations.{{Efn|name=6-cell ring is not chiral}}|name=hexagrams hitting vertex of 6-cell ring}} Each 6-cell ring contains six such isoclinic skew hexagrams, three black and three white.{{Efn|name=hexagrams missing vertex of 6-cell ring}}|name=Möbius double loop hexagram}} Thus the path follows one great hexagon from each octahedron to the next, but switches to another of the six great hexagons in the next link of the hexagram<sub>2</sub> path. Followed along the column of six octahedra (and "around the end" where the column is bent into a ring) the path may at first appear to be zig-zagging between three adjacent parallel hexagonal central planes (like a [[W:Petrie polygon|Petrie polygon]]), but it is not: any isoclinic path we can pick out always zig-zags between ''two sets'' of three adjacent parallel hexagonal central planes, intersecting only every even (or odd) vertex and never changing its inherent even/odd parity, as it visits all six of the great hexagons in the 6-cell ring in rotation.{{Efn|The 24-cell's [[W:Petrie polygon#The Petrie polygon of regular polychora (4-polytopes)|Petrie polygon]] is a skew [[W:Skew polygon#Regular skew polygons in four dimensions|dodecagon]] {12} and also (orthogonally) a skew [[W:Dodecagram|dodecagram]] {12/5} which zig-zags 90° left and right like the edges dividing the black and white squares on the [[W:Chessboard|chessboard]].{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=292-293|loc=Table I(ii); 24-cell ''h<sub>1</sub> is {12}, h<sub>2</sub> is {12/5}''}} In contrast, the skew hexagram<sub>2</sub> isocline does not zig-zag, and stays on one side or the other of the dividing line between black and white, like the [[W:Bishop (chess)|bishop]]s' paths along the diagonals of either the black or white squares of the chessboard.{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}} The Petrie dodecagon is a circular helix of {{radic|1}} edges that zig-zag 90° left and right along 12 edges of 6 different octahedra (with 3 consecutive edges in each octahedron) in a 360° rotation. In contrast, the isoclinic hexagram<sub>2</sub> has {{radic|3}} edges which all bend either left or right at every ''second'' vertex along a geodesic spiral of ''both'' chiralities (left and right){{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}} but only one color (black or white),{{Efn|name=black and white}} visiting one vertex of each of those same 6 octahedra in a 720° rotation.|name=Petrie dodecagram and Clifford hexagram}} When it has traversed one chord from each of the six great hexagons, after 720 degrees of isoclinic rotation (either left or right), it closes its skew hexagram and begins to repeat itself, circling again through the black (or white) vertices and cells.
At each vertex, there are four great hexagons{{Efn|Each pair of adjacent edges of a great hexagon has just one isocline curving alongside it,{{Efn|Each vertex of a 6-cell ring is missed by the two halves of the same Möbius double loop hexagram,{{Efn|name=Möbius double loop hexagram}} which curve past it on either side.|name=hexagrams missing vertex of 6-cell ring}} missing the vertex between the two edges (but not the way the {{radic|3}} edge of the great triangle inscribed in the great hexagon misses the vertex,{{Efn|The {{radic|3}} chord passes through the mid-edge of one of the 24-cell's {{radic|1}} radii. Since the 24-cell can be constructed, with its long radii, from {{radic|1}} triangles which meet at its center, this is a mid-edge of one of the six {{radic|1}} triangles in a great hexagon, as seen in the [[#Hypercubic chords|chord diagram]].|name=root 3 chord hits a mid-radius}} because the isocline is an arc on the surface not a chord). If we number the vertices around the hexagon 0-5, the hexagon has three pairs of adjacent edges connecting even vertices (one inscribed great triangle), and three pairs connecting odd vertices (the other inscribed great triangle). Even and odd pairs of edges have the arc of a black and a white isocline respectively curving alongside.{{Efn|name=black and white}} The three black and three white isoclines belong to the same 6-cell ring of the same fibration.{{Efn|name=Möbius double loop hexagram}}|name=isoclines at hexagons}} and four hexagram isoclines (all black or all white) that cross at the vertex.{{Efn|Each hexagram isocline hits only one end of an axis, unlike a great circle which hits both ends. Clifford parallel pairs of black and white isoclines from the same left-right pair of isoclinic rotations (the same fibration) do not intersect, but they hit opposite (antipodal) vertices of ''one'' of the 24-cell's 12 axes.|name=hexagram isoclines at an axis}} Four hexagram isoclines (two black and two white) comprise a unique (left or right) fiber bundle of isoclines covering all 24 vertices in each distinct (left or right) isoclinic rotation. Each fibration has a unique left and right isoclinic rotation, and corresponding unique left and right fiber bundles of isoclines.{{Efn|The isoclines themselves are not left or right, only the bundles are. Each isocline is left ''and'' right.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}}}} There are 16 distinct hexagram isoclines in the 24-cell (8 black and 8 white).{{Efn|The 12 black-white pairs of hexagram isoclines in each fibration{{Efn|name=hexagram isoclines at an axis}} and the 16 distinct hexagram isoclines in the 24-cell form a [[W:Reye configuration|Reye configuration]] 12<sub>4</sub>16<sub>3</sub>, just the way the 24-cell's 12 axes and [[#Great hexagons|16 hexagons]] do. Each of the 12 black-white pairs occurs in one cell ring of each fibration of 4 hexagram isoclines, and each cell ring contains 3 black-white pairs of the 16 hexagram isoclines.|name=a right (left) isoclinic rotation is a Reye configuration}} Each isocline is a skew ''Clifford polygon'' of no inherent chirality, but acts as a left (or right) isocline when traversed by a left (or right) rotation in different fibrations.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}}
==== Helical octagrams and their isoclines ====
The 24-cell contains 18 helical [[W:Octagram|octagram]] isoclines (9 black and 9 white). Three pairs of octagram edge-helices are found in each of the three inscribed 16-cells, described elsewhere as the [[16-cell#Helical construction|helical construction of the 16-cell]]. In summary, each 16-cell can be decomposed (three different ways) into a left-right pair of 8-cell rings of {{radic|2}}-edged tetrahedral cells. Each 8-cell ring twists either left or right around an axial octagram helix of eight chords. In each 16-cell there are exactly 6 distinct helices, identical octagrams which each circle through all eight vertices. Each acts as either a left helix or a right helix or a Petrie polygon in each of the six distinct isoclinic rotations (three left and three right), and has no inherent chirality except in respect to a particular rotation. Adjacent vertices on the octagram isoclines are {{radic|2}} = 90° apart, so the circumference of the isocline is 4𝝅. An ''isoclinic'' rotation by 90° in great square invariant planes takes each vertex to its antipodal vertex, four vertices away in either direction along the isocline, and {{radic|4}} = 180° distant across the diameter of the isocline.
Each of the 3 fibrations of the 24-cell's 18 great squares corresponds to a distinct left (and right) isoclinic rotation in great square invariant planes. Each 60° step of the rotation takes 6 disjoint great squares (2 from each 16-cell) to great squares in a neighboring 16-cell, on [[16-cell#Helical construction|8-chord helical isoclines characteristic of the 16-cell]].{{Efn|As [[16-cell#Helical construction|in the 16-cell, the isocline is an octagram]] which intersects only 8 vertices, even though the 24-cell has more vertices closer together than the 16-cell. The isocline curve misses the additional vertices in between. As in the 16-cell, the first vertex it intersects is {{radic|2}} away. The 24-cell employs more octagram isoclines (3 in parallel in each rotation) than the 16-cell does (1 in each rotation). The 3 helical isoclines are Clifford parallel;{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} they spiral around each other in a triple helix, with the disjoint helices' corresponding vertex pairs joined by {{radic|1}} {{=}} 60° chords. The triple helix of 3 isoclines contains 24 disjoint {{radic|2}} edges (6 disjoint great squares) and 24 vertices, and constitutes a discrete fibration of the 24-cell, just as the 4-cell ring does.|name=octagram isoclines}}
In the 24-cell, these 18 helical octagram isoclines can be found within the six orthogonal [[#4-cell rings|4-cell rings]] of octahedra. Each 4-cell ring has cells bonded vertex-to-vertex around a great square axis, and we find antipodal vertices at opposite vertices of the great square. A {{radic|4}} chord (the diameter of the great square and of the isocline) connects them. [[#Boundary cells|Boundary cells]] describes how the {{radic|2}} axes of the 24-cell's octahedral cells are the edges of the 16-cell's tetrahedral cells, each tetrahedron is inscribed in a (tesseract) cube, and each octahedron is inscribed in a pair of cubes (from different tesseracts), bridging them.{{Efn|name=octahedral diameters}} The vertex-bonded octahedra of the 4-cell ring also lie in different tesseracts.{{Efn|Two tesseracts share only vertices, not any edges, faces, cubes (with inscribed tetrahedra), or octahedra (whose central square planes are square faces of cubes). An octahedron that touches another octahedron at a vertex (but not at an edge or a face) is touching an octahedron in another tesseract, and a pair of adjacent cubes in the other tesseract whose common square face the octahedron spans, and a tetrahedron inscribed in each of those cubes.|name=vertex-bonded octahedra}} The isocline's four {{radic|4}} diameter chords form an [[W:Octagram#Star polygon compounds|octagram<sub>8{4}=4{2}</sub>]] with {{radic|4}} edges that each run from the vertex of one cube and octahedron and tetrahedron, to the vertex of another cube and octahedron and tetrahedron (in a different tesseract), straight through the center of the 24-cell on one of the 12 {{radic|4}} axes.
The octahedra in the 4-cell rings are vertex-bonded to more than two other octahedra, because three 4-cell rings (and their three axial great squares, which belong to different 16-cells) cross at 90° at each bonding vertex. At that vertex the octagram makes two right-angled turns at once: 90° around the great square, and 90° orthogonally into a different 4-cell ring entirely. The 180° four-edge arc joining two ends of each {{radic|4}} diameter chord of the octagram runs through the volumes and opposite vertices of two face-bonded {{radic|2}} tetrahedra (in the same 16-cell), which are also the opposite vertices of two vertex-bonded octahedra in different 4-cell rings (and different tesseracts). The [[W:Octagram|720° octagram]] isocline runs through 8 vertices of the four-cell ring and through the volumes of 16 tetrahedra. At each vertex, there are three great squares and six octagram isoclines (three black-white pairs) that cross at the vertex.{{Efn|name=completely orthogonal Clifford parallels are special}}
This is the characteristic rotation of the 16-cell, ''not'' the 24-cell's characteristic rotation, and it does not take whole 16-cells ''of the 24-cell'' to each other the way the [[#Helical hexagrams and their isoclines|24-cell's rotation in great hexagon planes]] does.{{Efn|The [[600-cell#Squares and 4𝝅 octagrams|600-cell's isoclinic rotation in great square planes]] takes whole 16-cells to other 16-cells in different 24-cells.}}
{| class="wikitable" width=610
!colspan=5|Five ways of looking at a [[W:Skew polygon|skew]] [[W:24-gon#Related polygons|24-gram]]
|-
![[16-cell#Rotations|Edge path]]
![[W:Petrie polygon|Petrie polygon]]s
![[600-cell#Squares and 4𝝅 octagrams|In a 600-cell]]
![[#Great squares|Discrete fibration]]
![[16-cell#Helical construction|Diameter chords]]
|-
![[16-cell#Helical construction|16-cells]]<sub>3{3/8}</sub>
![[W:Petrie polygon#The Petrie polygon of regular polychora (4-polytopes)|Dodecagons]]<sub>2{12}</sub>
![[W:24-gon#Related polygons|24-gram]]<sub>{24/5}</sub>
![[#Great squares|Squares]]<sub>6{4}</sub>
![[W:24-gon#Related polygons|<sub>{24/12}={12/2}</sub>]]
|-
|align=center|[[File:Regular_star_figure_3(8,3).svg|120px]]
|align=center|[[File:Regular_star_figure_2(12,1).svg|120px]]
|align=center|[[File:Regular_star_polygon_24-5.svg|120px]]
|align=center|[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|120px]]
|align=center|[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|120px]]
|-
|The 24-cell's three inscribed Clifford parallel 16-cells revealed as disjoint 8-point 4-polytopes with {{radic|2}} edges.{{Efn|name=octagram isoclines}}
|2 [[W:Skew polygon|skew polygon]]s of 12 {{radic|1}} edges each. The 24-cell can be decomposed into 2 disjoint zig-zag [[W:Dodecagon|dodecagon]]s (4 different ways).{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=292-293|loc=Table I(ii); 24-cell Petrie polygon ''h<sub>1</sub>'' is {12} }}
|In [[600-cell#Hexagons|compounds of 5 24-cells]], isoclines with [[600-cell#Golden chords|golden chords]] of length <big>φ</big> {{=}} {{radic|2.𝚽}} connect all 24-cells in [[600-cell#Squares and 4𝝅 octagrams|24-chord circuits]].{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=292-293|loc=Table I(ii); 24-cell Petrie polygon orthogonal ''h<sub>2</sub>'' is [[W:Dodecagon#Related figures|{12/5}]], half of [[W:24-gon#Related polygons|{24/5}]] as each Petrie polygon is half the 24-cell}}
|Their isoclinic rotation takes 6 Clifford parallel (disjoint) great squares with {{radic|2}} edges to each other.
|Two vertices four {{radic|2}} chords apart on the circular isocline are antipodal vertices joined by a {{radic|4}} axis.
|-
|colspan=5|Images by Tom Ruen in [[W:Triacontagon#Triacontagram|Triacontagram compounds and stars]].{{Sfn|Ruen: Triacontagon|2011|loc=§Triacontagram compounds and stars}}
|}
===Characteristic orthoscheme===
{| class="wikitable floatright"
!colspan=6|Characteristics of the 24-cell{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=292-293|loc=Table I(ii); "24-cell"}}
|-
!align=right|
!align=center|edge{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=139|loc=§7.9 The characteristic simplex}}
!colspan=2 align=center|arc
!colspan=2 align=center|dihedral{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=290|loc=Table I(ii); "dihedral angles"}}
|-
!align=right|𝒍
|align=center|<small><math>1</math></small>
|align=center|<small>60°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{3}</math></small>
|align=center|<small>120°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{2\pi}{3}</math></small>
|-
|
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|
|
|
|-
!align=right|𝟀
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{3}} \approx 0.577</math></small>
|align=center|<small>45°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{4}</math></small>
|align=center|<small>45°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{4}</math></small>
|-
!align=right|𝝉{{Efn|{{Harv|Coxeter|1973}} uses the greek letter 𝝓 (phi) to represent one of the three ''characteristic angles'' 𝟀, 𝝓, 𝟁 of a regular polytope. Because 𝝓 is commonly used to represent the [[W:Golden ratio|golden ratio]] constant ≈ 1.618, for which Coxeter uses 𝝉 (tau), we reverse Coxeter's conventions, and use 𝝉 to represent the characteristic angle.|name=reversed greek symbols}}
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{4}} = 0.5</math></small>
|align=center|<small>30°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{6}</math></small>
|align=center|<small>60°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{3}</math></small>
|-
!align=right|𝟁
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{12}} \approx 0.289</math></small>
|align=center|<small>30°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{6}</math></small>
|align=center|<small>60°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{3}</math></small>
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|-
!align=right|<small><math>_0R^3/l</math></small>
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{2}} \approx 0.707</math></small>
|align=center|<small>45°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{4}</math></small>
|align=center|<small>90°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{2}</math></small>
|-
!align=right|<small><math>_1R^3/l</math></small>
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{4}} = 0.5</math></small>
|align=center|<small>30°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{6}</math></small>
|align=center|<small>90°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{2}</math></small>
|-
!align=right|<small><math>_2R^3/l</math></small>
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{6}} \approx 0.408</math></small>
|align=center|<small>30°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{6}</math></small>
|align=center|<small>90°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{2}</math></small>
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|-
!align=right|<small><math>_0R^4/l</math></small>
|align=center|<small><math>1</math></small>
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|-
!align=right|<small><math>_1R^4/l</math></small>
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{3}{4}} \approx 0.866</math></small>{{Efn|name=root 3/4}}
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|-
!align=right|<small><math>_2R^4/l</math></small>
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{2}{3}} \approx 0.816</math></small>
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|-
!align=right|<small><math>_3R^4/l</math></small>
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{2}} \approx 0.707</math></small>
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|}
Every regular 4-polytope has its [[W:Orthoscheme#Characteristic simplex of the general regular polytope|characteristic 4-orthoscheme]], an [[5-cell#Irregular 5-cells|irregular 5-cell]].{{Efn|name=characteristic orthoscheme}} The '''characteristic 5-cell of the regular 24-cell''' is represented by the [[W:Coxeter-Dynkin diagram|Coxeter-Dynkin diagram]] {{Coxeter–Dynkin diagram|node|3|node|4|node|3|node}}, which can be read as a list of the dihedral angles between its mirror facets.{{Efn|For a regular ''k''-polytope, the [[W:Coxeter-Dynkin diagram|Coxeter-Dynkin diagram]] of the characteristic ''k-''orthoscheme is the ''k''-polytope's diagram without the [[W:Coxeter-Dynkin diagram#Application with uniform polytopes|generating point ring]]. The regular ''k-''polytope is subdivided by its symmetry (''k''-1)-elements into ''g'' instances of its characteristic ''k''-orthoscheme that surround its center, where ''g'' is the ''order'' of the ''k''-polytope's [[W:Coxeter group|symmetry group]].{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=130-133|loc=§7.6 The symmetry group of the general regular polytope}}}} It is an irregular [[W:Hyperpyramid|tetrahedral pyramid]] based on the [[W:Octahedron#Characteristic orthoscheme|characteristic tetrahedron of the regular octahedron]]. The regular 24-cell is subdivided by its symmetry hyperplanes into 1152 instances of its characteristic 5-cell that all meet at its center.{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|pp=17-20|loc=§10 The Coxeter Classification of Four-Dimensional Point Groups}}
The characteristic 5-cell (4-orthoscheme) has four more edges than its base characteristic tetrahedron (3-orthoscheme), joining the four vertices of the base to its apex (the fifth vertex of the 4-orthoscheme, at the center of the regular 24-cell).{{Efn|The four edges of each 4-orthoscheme which meet at the center of the regular 4-polytope are of unequal length, because they are the four characteristic radii of the regular 4-polytope: a vertex radius, an edge center radius, a face center radius, and a cell center radius. The five vertices of the 4-orthoscheme always include one regular 4-polytope vertex, one regular 4-polytope edge center, one regular 4-polytope face center, one regular 4-polytope cell center, and the regular 4-polytope center. Those five vertices (in that order) comprise a path along four mutually perpendicular edges (that makes three right angle turns), the characteristic feature of a 4-orthoscheme. The 4-orthoscheme has five dissimilar 3-orthoscheme facets.|name=characteristic radii}} If the regular 24-cell has radius and edge length 𝒍 = 1, its characteristic 5-cell's ten edges have lengths <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{3}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{4}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{12}}</math></small> around its exterior right-triangle face (the edges opposite the ''characteristic angles'' 𝟀, 𝝉, 𝟁),{{Efn|name=reversed greek symbols}} plus <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{2}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{4}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{6}}</math></small> (the other three edges of the exterior 3-orthoscheme facet the characteristic tetrahedron, which are the ''characteristic radii'' of the octahedron), plus <small><math>1</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{3}{4}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{2}{3}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{2}}</math></small> (edges which are the characteristic radii of the 24-cell). The 4-edge path along orthogonal edges of the orthoscheme is <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{4}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{12}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{6}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{2}}</math></small>, first from a 24-cell vertex to a 24-cell edge center, then turning 90° to a 24-cell face center, then turning 90° to a 24-cell octahedral cell center, then turning 90° to the 24-cell center.
=== Reflections ===
The 24-cell can be [[#Tetrahedral constructions|constructed by the reflections of its characteristic 5-cell]] in its own facets (its tetrahedral mirror walls).{{Efn|The reflecting surface of a (3-dimensional) polyhedron consists of 2-dimensional faces; the reflecting surface of a (4-dimensional) [[W:Polychoron|polychoron]] consists of 3-dimensional cells.}} Reflections and rotations are related: a reflection in an ''even'' number of ''intersecting'' mirrors is a rotation.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=33-38|loc=§3.1 Congruent transformations}} Consequently, regular polytopes can be generated by reflections or by rotations. For example, any [[#Isoclinic rotations|720° isoclinic rotation]] of the 24-cell in a hexagonal invariant plane takes ''each'' of the 24 vertices to and through 5 other vertices and back to itself, on a skew [[#Helical hexagrams and their isoclines|hexagram<sub>2</sub> geodesic isocline]] that winds twice around the 3-sphere on every ''second'' vertex of the hexagram. Any set of [[#The 3 Cartesian bases of the 24-cell|four orthogonal pairs of antipodal vertices]] (the 8 vertices of one of the [[#Relationships among interior polytopes|three inscribed 16-cells]]) performing ''half'' such an orbit visits 3 * 8 = 24 distinct vertices and [[#Clifford parallel polytopes|generates the 24-cell]] sequentially in 3 steps of a single 360° isoclinic rotation, just as any single characteristic 5-cell reflecting itself in its own mirror walls generates the 24 vertices simultaneously by reflection.
Tracing the orbit of ''one'' such 16-cell vertex during the 360° isoclinic rotation reveals more about the relationship between reflections and rotations as generative operations.{{Efn|<blockquote>Let Q denote a rotation, R a reflection, T a translation, and let Q<sup>''q''</sup> R<sup>''r''</sup> T denote a product of several such transformations, all commutative with one another. Then RT is a glide-reflection (in two or three dimensions), QR is a rotary-reflection, QT is a screw-displacement, and Q<sup>2</sup> is a double rotation (in four dimensions).<br><br>Every orthogonal transformation is expressible as{{indent|12}}Q<sup>''q''</sup> R<sup>''r''</sup><br>where 2''q'' + ''r'' ≤ ''n'', the number of dimensions. Transformations involving a translation are expressible as{{indent|12}}Q<sup>''q''</sup> R<sup>''r''</sup> T<br>where 2''q'' + ''r'' + 1 ≤ ''n''.<br><br>For ''n'' {{=}} 4 in particular, every displacement is either a double rotation Q<sup>2</sup>, or a screw-displacement QT (where the rotation component Q is a simple rotation). Every enantiomorphous transformation in 4-space (reversing chirality) is a QRT.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=217-218|loc=§12.2 Congruent transformations}}</blockquote>|name=transformations}} The vertex follows an [[#Helical hexagrams and their isoclines|isocline]] (a doubly curved geodesic circle) rather than an ordinary great circle.{{Efn|name=360 degree geodesic path visiting 3 hexagonal planes}} The isocline connects vertices two edge lengths apart, but curves away from the great circle path over the two edges connecting those vertices, missing the vertex in between.{{Efn|name=isocline misses vertex}} Although the isocline does not follow any one great circle, it is contained within a ring of another kind: in the 24-cell it stays within a [[#6-cell rings|6-cell ring]] of spherical{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=138|ps=; "We allow the Schläfli symbol {p,..., v} to have three different meanings: a Euclidean polytope, a spherical polytope, and a spherical honeycomb. This need not cause any confusion, so long as the situation is frankly recognized. The differences are clearly seen in the concept of dihedral angle."}} octahedral cells, intersecting one vertex in each cell, and passing through the volume of two adjacent cells near the missed vertex.
=== Chiral symmetry operations ===
A [[W:Symmetry operation|symmetry operation]] is a rotation or reflection which leaves the object indistinguishable from itself before the transformation. The 24-cell has 1152 distinct symmetry operations (576 rotations and 576 reflections). Each rotation is equivalent to two [[#Reflections|reflections]], in a distinct pair of non-parallel mirror planes.{{Efn|name=transformations}}
Pictured are sets of disjoint [[#Geodesics|great circle polygons]], each in a distinct central plane of the 24-cell. For example, {24/4}=4{6} is an orthogonal projection of the 24-cell picturing 4 of its [16] great hexagon planes.{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}} The 4 planes lie Clifford parallel to the projection plane and to each other, and their great polygons collectively constitute a discrete [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]] of 4 non-intersecting great circles which visit all 24 vertices just once.
Each row of the table describes a class of distinct rotations. Each '''rotation class''' takes the '''left planes''' pictured to the corresponding '''right planes''' pictured.{{Efn|The left planes are Clifford parallel, and the right planes are Clifford parallel; each set of planes is a fibration. Each left plane is Clifford parallel to its corresponding right plane in an isoclinic rotation,{{Efn|In an ''isoclinic'' rotation each invariant plane is Clifford parallel to the plane it moves to, and they do not intersect at any time (except at the central point). In a ''simple'' rotation the invariant plane intersects the plane it moves to in a line, and moves to it by rotating around that line.|name=plane movement in rotations}} but the two sets of planes are not all mutually Clifford parallel; they are different fibrations, except in table rows where the left and right planes are the same set.}} The vertices of the moving planes move in parallel along the polygonal '''isocline''' paths pictured. For example, the <math>[32]R_{q7,q8}</math> rotation class consists of [32] distinct rotational displacements by an arc-distance of {{sfrac|2𝝅|3}} = 120° between 16 great hexagon planes represented by quaternion group <math>q7</math> and a corresponding set of 16 great hexagon planes represented by quaternion group <math>q8</math>.{{Efn|A quaternion group <math>\pm{q_n}</math> corresponds to a distinct set of Clifford parallel great circle polygons, e.g. <math>q7</math> corresponds to a set of four disjoint great hexagons.{{Efn|[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|thumb|200px|The 24-cell as a compound of four non-intersecting great hexagons {24/4}=4{6}.]]There are 4 sets of 4 disjoint great hexagons in the 24-cell (of a total of [16] distinct great hexagons), designated <math>q7</math>, <math>-q7</math>, <math>q8</math> and <math>-q8</math>.{{Efn|name=union of q7 and q8}} Each named set of 4 Clifford parallel{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} hexagons comprises a [[#Chiral symmetry operations|discrete fibration]] covering all 24 vertices.|name=four hexagonal fibrations}} Note that <math>q_n</math> and <math>-{q_n}</math> generally are distinct sets. The corresponding vertices of the <math>q_n</math> planes and the <math>-{q_n}</math> planes are 180° apart.{{Efn|name=two angles between central planes}}|name=quaternion group}} One of the [32] distinct rotations of this class moves the representative [[#Great hexagons|vertex coordinate]] <math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math> to the vertex coordinate <math>(\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2})</math>.{{Efn|A quaternion Cartesian coordinate designates a vertex joined to a ''top vertex'' by one instance of a [[#Hypercubic chords|distinct chord]]. The conventional top vertex of a [[#Great hexagons|unit radius 4-polytope]] in standard (vertex-up) orientation is <math>(0,0,1,0)</math>, the Cartesian "north pole". Thus e.g. <math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math> designates a {{radic|1}} chord of 60° arc-length. Each such distinct chord is an edge of a distinct [[#Geodesics|great circle polygon]], in this example a [[#Great hexagons|great hexagon]], intersecting the north and south poles. Great circle polygons occur in sets of Clifford parallel central planes, each set of disjoint great circles comprising a discrete [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]] that intersects every vertex just once. One great circle polygon in each set intersects the north and south poles. This quaternion coordinate <math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math> is thus representative of the 4 disjoint great hexagons pictured, a quaternion group{{Efn|name=quaternion group}} which comprise one distinct fibration of the [16] great hexagons (four fibrations of great hexagons) that occur in the 24-cell.{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}}|name=north pole relative coordinate}}
{| class=wikitable style="white-space:nowrap;text-align:center"
!colspan=15|Proper [[W:SO(4)|rotations]] of the 24-cell [[W:F4 (mathematics)|symmetry group ''F<sub>4</sub>'']]{{Sfn|Mamone|Pileio|Levitt|2010|loc=§4.5 Regular Convex 4-Polytopes, Table 2, Symmetry operations|pp=1438-1439}}
|-
!Isocline{{Efn|An ''isocline'' is the circular geodesic path taken by a vertex that lies in an invariant plane of rotation, during a complete revolution. In an [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]] every vertex lies in an invariant plane of rotation, and the isocline it rotates on is a helical geodesic circle that winds through all four dimensions, not a simple geodesic great circle in the plane. In a [[#Simple rotations|simple rotation]] there is only one invariant plane of rotation, and each vertex that lies in it rotates on a simple geodesic great circle in the plane. Both the helical geodesic isocline of an isoclinic rotation and the simple geodesic isocline of a simple rotation are great circles, but to avoid confusion between them we generally reserve the term ''isocline'' for the former, and reserve the term ''great circle'' for the latter, an ordinary great circle in the plane. Strictly, however, the latter is an isocline of circumference <math>2\pi r</math>, and the former is an isocline of circumference greater than <math>2\pi r</math>.{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}}|name=isocline}}
!colspan=4|Rotation class{{Efn|Each class of rotational displacements (each table row) corresponds to a distinct rigid left (and right) [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]] in multiple invariant planes concurrently.{{Efn|name=invariant planes of an isoclinic rotation}} The '''Isocline''' is the path followed by a vertex,{{Efn|name=isocline}} which is a helical geodesic circle that does not lie in any one central plane. Each rotational displacement takes one invariant '''Left plane''' to the corresponding invariant '''Right plane''', with all the left (or right) displacements taking place concurrently.{{Efn|name=plane movement in rotations}} Each left plane is separated from the corresponding right plane by two equal angles,{{Efn|name=two angles between central planes}} each equal to one half of the arc-angle by which each vertex is displaced (the angle and distance that appears in the '''Rotation class''' column).|name=isoclinic rotation}}
!colspan=5|Left planes <math>ql</math>{{Efn|In an [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]], all the '''Left planes''' move together, remain Clifford parallel while moving, and carry all their points with them to the '''Right planes''' as they move: they are invariant planes.{{Efn|name=plane movement in rotations}} Because the left (and right) set of central polygons are a fibration covering all the vertices, every vertex is a point carried along in an invariant plane.|name=invariant planes of an isoclinic rotation}}
!colspan=5|Right planes <math>qr</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/8}=4{6/2}]]{{Efn|In this orthogonal projection of the 24-point 24-cell to a [[W:Dodecagon#Related figures|{12/4}=4{3} dodecagram]], each point represents two vertices, and each line represents multiple {{radic|3}} chords. Each disjoint triangle can be seen as a skew {6/2} [[W:Hexagram|hexagram]] with {{radic|3}} edges: two open skew triangles with their opposite ends connected in a [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius loop]] with a circumference of 4𝝅. The hexagram projects to a single triangle in two dimensions because it skews through all four dimensions. Those 4 disjoint skew [[#Helical hexagrams and their isoclines|hexagram isoclines]] are the Clifford parallel circular vertex paths of the fibration's characteristic left (and right) [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]].{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} The 4 Clifford parallel great hexagons of the fibration are invariant planes of this rotation. The great hexagons rotate in incremental displacements of 60° like wheels ''and'' 60° orthogonally like coins flipping, displacing each vertex by 120°, as their vertices move along parallel helical isocline paths through successive Clifford parallel hexagon planes.{{Efn|Each hexagon rides on only three skew hexagram isoclines, not six, because opposite vertices of each hexagon ride on opposing rails of the same Clifford hexagram, in the same (not opposite) rotational direction.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}}}} Alternatively, the 4 triangles can be seen as 8 disjoint triangles: 4 pairs of Clifford parallel [[#Great triangles|great triangles]], where two opposing great triangles lie in the same [[#Great hexagons|great hexagon central plane]], so a fibration of 4 Clifford parallel great hexagon planes is represented.{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}} This illustrates that the 4 hexagram isoclines also correspond to a distinct fibration, in fact the ''same'' fibration as 4 great hexagons.|name=hexagram}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(3,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7,q8}</math><br>[16] 4𝝅 {6/2}
|colspan=4|<math>[32]R_{q7,q8}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[32]R_{q7,q8}</math> isoclinic rotation in great hexagon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex two vertices away (120° {{=}} {{radic|3}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left hexagon rotates 60° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 60° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right hexagon plane. Repeated 6 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq7,q8}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>{{Efn|name=north pole relative coordinate}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/8}=4{6/2}]]{{Efn|In this orthogonal projection of the 24-point 24-cell to a [[W:Dodecagon#Related figures|{12/4}=4{3} dodecagram]], each point represents two vertices, and each line represents multiple {{radic|3}} chords. The 4 triangles can be seen as 8 disjoint triangles: 4 pairs of Clifford parallel [[#Great triangles|great triangles]], where two opposing great triangles lie in the same [[#Great hexagons|great hexagon central plane]], so a fibration of 4 Clifford parallel great hexagon planes is represented, as in the 4 left planes of this rotation class (table row).{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}}|name=great triangles}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(3,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q8}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|{{sfrac|2𝝅|3}}
|120°
|{{radic|3}}
|1.732~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|2𝝅|3}}
|120°
|{{radic|3}}
|1.732~
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/2}=2{12}]]{{Efn|In this orthogonal projection of the 24-point 24-cell to a [[W:Dodecagon#Related figures|{12/2}=2{6} dodecagram]], each point represents two vertices, and each line represents multiple 24-cell edges. Each disjoint hexagon can be seen as a skew {12} [[W:Dodecagon|dodecagon]], a Petrie polygon of the 24-cell, by viewing it as two open skew hexagons with their opposite ends connected in a [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius loop]] with a circumference of 4𝝅. The dodecagon projects to a single hexagon in two dimensions because it skews through all four dimensions. Those 2 disjoint skew dodecagons are the Clifford parallel circular vertex paths of the fibration's characteristic left (and right) [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]].{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} The 4 Clifford parallel great hexagons of the fibration are invariant planes of this rotation. The great hexagons rotate in incremental displacements of 30° like wheels ''and'' 30° orthogonally like coins flipping, displacing each vertex by 60°, as their vertices move along parallel helical isocline paths through successive Clifford parallel hexagon planes.{{Efn|Each hexagon rides on only two parallel dodecagon isoclines, not six, because only alternate vertices of each hexagon ride on different dodecagon rails; the three vertices of each great triangle inscribed in the great hexagon occupy the same dodecagon Petrie polygon, four vertices apart, and they circulate on that isocline.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}}}} Alternatively, the 2 hexagons can be seen as 4 disjoint hexagons: 2 pairs of Clifford parallel great hexagons, so a fibration of 4 Clifford parallel great hexagon planes is represented.{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}} This illustrates that the 2 dodecagon isoclines also correspond to a distinct fibration, in fact the ''same'' fibration as 4 great hexagons.|name=dodecagon}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_2(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7,-q8}</math><br>[16] 4𝝅 {12}
|colspan=4|<math>[32]R_{q7,-q8}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[32]R_{q7,-q8}</math> isoclinic rotation in great hexagon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex one vertex away (60° {{=}} {{radic|1}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices.{{Efn|At the mid-point of the isocline arc (30° away) it passes directly over the mid-point of a 24-cell edge.}} Each left hexagon rotates 30° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 30° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right hexagon plane. Repeated 12 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq7,-q8}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{-q8}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(-\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/1}={24}]]<br>[[File:Regular_polygon_24.svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7,q7}</math><br>[16] 4𝝅 {1}
|colspan=4|<math>[32]R_{q7,q7}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[32]R_{q7,q7}</math> isoclinic rotation in great hexagon invariant planes takes each vertex through a 360° rotation and back to itself (360° {{=}} {{radic|0}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left hexagon rotates 180° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 180° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right hexagon plane. Repeated 2 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq7,q7}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|2𝝅
|360°
|{{radic|0}}
|0
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7,-q7}</math><br>[16] 4𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>[32]R_{q7,-q7}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[32]R_{q7,-q7}</math> isoclinic rotation in hexagon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex three vertices away (180° {{=}} {{radic|4}} away),{{Efn|name=quaternion group}} without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left hexagon rotates 90° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 90° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right hexagon plane. Repeated 4 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq7,-q7}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/8}=4{6/2}]]{{Efn|name=great triangles}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(3,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{-q7}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(-\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|𝝅
|180°
|{{radic|4}}
|2
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|2𝝅|3}}
|120°
|{{radic|3}}
|1.732~
|- style="background: #E6FFEE;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/2}=2{12}]]{{Efn|name=dodecagon}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_2(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7,q1}</math><br>[8] 4𝝅 {12}
|colspan=4|<math>[16]R_{q7,q1}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[16]R_{q7,q1}</math> isoclinic rotation in great hexagon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex one vertex away (60° {{=}} {{radic|1}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left hexagon rotates 30° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 30° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right square plane.{{Efn|This ''hybrid isoclinic rotation'' carries the two kinds of [[#Geodesics|central planes]] to each other: great square planes [[16-cell#Coordinates|characteristic of the 16-cell]] and great hexagon (great triangle) planes [[#Great hexagons|characteristic of the 24-cell]].{{Efn|The edges and 4𝝅 characteristic [[16-cell#Rotations|rotations of the 16-cell]] lie in the great square central planes. Rotations of this type are an expression of the [[W:Hyperoctahedral group|<math>B_4</math> symmetry group]]. The edges and 4𝝅 characteristic [[#Rotations|rotations of the 24-cell]] lie in the great hexagon (great triangle) central planes. Rotations of this type are an expression of the [[W:F4 (mathematics)|<math>F_4</math> symmetry group]].|name=edge rotation planes}} This is possible because some great hexagon planes lie Clifford parallel to some great square planes.{{Efn|Two great circle polygons either intersect in a common axis, or they are Clifford parallel (isoclinic) and share no vertices.{{Efn||name=two angles between central planes}} Three great squares and four great hexagons intersect at each 24-cell vertex. Each great hexagon intersects 9 distinct great squares, 3 in each of its 3 axes, and lies Clifford parallel to the other 9 great squares. Each great square intersects 8 distinct great hexagons, 4 in each of its 2 axes, and lies Clifford parallel to the other 8 great hexagons.|name=hybrid isoclinic planes}}|name=hybrid isoclinic rotation}} Repeated 12 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq7,q1}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[8] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]{{Efn|[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|thumb|200px|The 24-cell as a compound of six non-intersecting great squares {24/6}=6{4}.]]There are 3 sets of 6 disjoint great squares in the 24-cell (of a total of [18] distinct great squares),{{Efn|The 24-cell has 18 great squares, in 3 disjoint sets of 6 mutually orthogonal great squares comprising a 16-cell.{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}} Within each 16-cell are 3 sets of 2 completely orthogonal great squares, so each great square is disjoint not only from all the great squares in the other two 16-cells, but also from one other great square in the same 16-cell. Each great square is disjoint from 13 others, and shares two vertices (an axis) with 4 others (in the same 16-cell).|name=unions of q1 q2 q3}} designated <math>\pm q1</math>, <math>\pm q2</math>, and <math>\pm q3</math>. Each named set{{Efn|Because in the 24-cell each great square is completely orthogonal to another great square, the quaternion groups <math>q1</math> and <math>-{q1}</math> (for example) correspond to the same set of great square planes. That distinct set of 6 disjoint great squares <math>\pm q1</math> has two names, used in the left (or right) rotational context, because it constitutes both a left and a right fibration of great squares.|name=two quaternion group names for square fibrations}} of 6 Clifford parallel{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} squares comprises a [[#Chiral symmetry operations|discrete fibration]] covering all 24 vertices.|name=three square fibrations}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q1}</math><br>[8] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(1,0,0,0)</math>
|- style="background: #E6FFEE;{{text color default}};"|
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: #E6FFEE;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/8}=4{6/2}]]{{Efn|name=hexagram}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(3,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7,-q1}</math><br>[8] 4𝝅 {6/2}
|colspan=4|<math>[16]R_{q7,-q1}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[16]R_{q7,-q1}</math> isoclinic rotation in hexagon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex two vertices away (120° {{=}} {{radic|3}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left hexagon rotates 60° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 60° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right square plane.{{Efn|name=hybrid isoclinic rotation}} Repeated 6 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq7,-q1}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[8] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{-q1}</math><br>[8] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(-1,0,0,0)</math>
|- style="background: #E6FFEE;{{text color default}};"|
|{{sfrac|2𝝅|3}}
|120°
|{{radic|3}}
|1.732~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/1}={24}]]<br>[[File:Regular_polygon_24.svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q6,q6}</math><br>[18] 4𝝅 {1}
|colspan=4|<math>[36]R_{q6,q6}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[36]R_{q6,q6}</math> isoclinic rotation in great square invariant planes takes each vertex through a 360° rotation and back to itself (360° {{=}} {{radic|0}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left square rotates 180° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 180° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right square plane. Repeated 2 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq6,q6}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q6}</math><br>[18] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math>{{Efn|The representative coordinate <math>(\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math> is not a vertex of the unit-radius 24-cell in standard (vertex-up) orientation, it is the center of an octahedral cell. Some of the 24-cell's lines of symmetry (Coxeter's "reflecting circles") run through cell centers rather than through vertices, and quaternion group <math>q6</math> corresponds to a set of those. However, <math>q6</math> also corresponds to the set of great squares pictured, which lie orthogonal to those cells (completely disjoint from the cell).{{Efn|A quaternion Cartesian coordinate designates a vertex joined to a ''top vertex'' by one instance of a [[#Hypercubic chords|distinct chord]]. The conventional top vertex of a [[#Great hexagons|unit radius 4-polytope]] in ''cell-first'' orientation is <math>(0,0,\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2})</math>. Thus e.g. <math>(\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math> designates a {{radic|2}} chord of 90° arc-length. Each such distinct chord is an edge of a distinct [[#Geodesics|great circle polygon]], in this example a [[#Great squares|great square]], intersecting the top vertex. Great circle polygons occur in sets of Clifford parallel central planes, each set of disjoint great circles comprising a discrete [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]] that intersects every vertex just once. One great circle polygon in each set intersects the top vertex. This quaternion coordinate <math>(\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math> is thus representative of the 6 disjoint great squares pictured, a quaternion group{{Efn|name=quaternion group}} which comprise one distinct fibration of the [18] great squares (three fibrations of great squares) that occur in the 24-cell.{{Efn|name=three square fibrations}}|name=north cell relative coordinate}}|name=lines of symmetry}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q6}</math><br>[18] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|2𝝅
|360°
|{{radic|0}}
|0
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q6,-q6}</math><br>[18] 4𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>[36]R_{q6,-q6}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[36]R_{q6,-q6}</math> isoclinic rotation in great square invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex 180° {{=}} {{radic|4}} away,{{Efn|name=quaternion group}} without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left square rotates 90° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 90° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right square, ''which in this rotation is the completely orthogonal plane''. Repeated 4 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq6,-q6}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q6}</math><br>[18] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{-q6}</math><br>[18] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(-\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},-\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|𝝅
|180°
|{{radic|4}}
|2
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/9}=3{8/3}]]{{Efn|In this orthogonal projection of the 24-point 24-cell to a [[W:Dodecagon#Related figures|{12/3}{{=}}3{4} dodecagram]], each point represents two vertices, and each line represents multiple {{radic|2}} chords. Each disjoint square can be seen as a skew {8/3} [[W:Octagram|octagram]] with {{radic|2}} edges: two open skew squares with their opposite ends connected in a [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius loop]] with a circumference of 4𝝅, visible in the {24/9}{{=}}3{8/3} orthogonal projection.{{Efn|[[File:Regular_star_figure_3(8,3).svg|thumb|200px|Icositetragon {24/9}{{=}}3{8/3} is a compound of three octagrams {8/3}, as the 24-cell is a compound of three 16-cells.]]This orthogonal projection of a 24-cell to a 24-gram {24/9}{{=}}3{8/3} exhibits 3 disjoint [[16-cell#Helical construction|octagram {8/3} isoclines of a 16-cell]], each of which is a circular isocline path through the 8 vertices of one of the 3 disjoint 16-cells inscribed in the 24-cell.}} The octagram projects to a single square in two dimensions because it skews through all four dimensions. Those 3 disjoint [[16-cell#Helical construction|skew octagram isoclines]] are the circular vertex paths characteristic of an [[#Helical octagrams and their isoclines|isoclinic rotation in great square planes]], in which the 6 Clifford parallel great squares are invariant rotation planes. The great squares rotate 90° like wheels ''and'' 90° orthogonally like coins flipping, displacing each vertex by 180°, so each vertex exchanges places with its antipodal vertex. Each octagram isocline circles through the 8 vertices of a disjoint 16-cell. Alternatively, the 3 squares can be seen as a fibration of 6 Clifford parallel squares.{{Efn|name=three square fibrations}} This illustrates that the 3 octagram isoclines also correspond to a distinct fibration, in fact the ''same'' fibration as 6 squares.|name=octagram}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_3(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q6,-q4}</math><br>[72] 4𝝅 {8/3}
|colspan=4|<math>[144]R_{q6,-q4}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[144]R_{q6,-q4}</math> isoclinic rotation in great square invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex 90° {{=}} {{radic|2}} away, without passing through any intervening vertices.{{Efn|At the mid-point of the isocline arc (45° away) it passes directly over the mid-point of a 24-cell edge.}} Each left square rotates 45° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 45° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right square plane. Repeated 8 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq6,-q4}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q6}</math><br>[72] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{-q4}</math><br>[72] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(0,0,-\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},-\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2})</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|𝝅
|180°
|{{radic|4}}
|2
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/1}={24}]]<br>[[File:Regular_polygon_24.svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q4,q4}</math><br>[36] 4𝝅 {1}
|colspan=4|<math>[72]R_{q4,q4}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[72]R_{q4,q4}</math> isoclinic rotation in great square invariant planes takes each vertex through a 360° rotation and back to itself (360° {{=}} {{radic|0}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left square rotates 180° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 180° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right square plane. Repeated 2 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq4,q4}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q4}</math><br>[36] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(0,0,\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2})</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q4}</math><br>[36] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(0,0,\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2})</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|2𝝅
|360°
|{{radic|0}}
|0
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: #E6FFEE;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/2}=2{12}]]{{Efn|name=dodecagon}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_2(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q2,q7}</math><br>[48] 4𝝅 {12}
|colspan=4|<math>[96]R_{q2,q7}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[96]R_{q2,q7}</math> isoclinic rotation in great hexagon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex one vertex away (60° {{=}} {{radic|1}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left square rotates 30° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 30° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right hexagon plane.{{Efn|name=hybrid isoclinic rotation}} Repeated 12 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq2,q7}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q2}</math><br>[48] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(0,0,0,1)</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[48] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|- style="background: #E6FFEE;{{text color default}};"|
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q2,-q2}</math><br>[9] 4𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>[18]R_{q2,-q2}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[18]R_{q2,-q2}</math> isoclinic rotation in great square invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex 180° {{=}} {{radic|4}} away,{{Efn|name=quaternion group}} without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left square rotates 90° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 90° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right square plane, ''which in this rotation is the completely orthogonal plane''. Repeated 4 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq2,-q2}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q2}</math><br>[9] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(0,0,0,1)</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{-q2}</math><br>[9] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(0,0,0,-1)</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|𝝅
|180°
|{{radic|4}}
|2
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q2,q1}</math><br>[12] 4𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>[12]R_{q2,q1}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[12]R_{q2,q1}</math> isoclinic rotation in great digon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex 90° {{=}} {{radic|2}} away, without passing through any intervening vertices.{{Efn|At the mid-point of the isocline arc (45° away) it passes directly over the mid-point of a 24-cell edge.}} Each left digon rotates 45° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 45° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right digon plane. Repeated 8 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq2,q1}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q2}</math><br>[12] 2𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>(0,0,0,1)</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q1}</math><br>[12] 2𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>(1,0,0,0)</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/1}={24}]]<br>[[File:Regular_polygon_24.svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q1,q1}</math><br>[0] 0𝝅 {1}
|colspan=4|<math>[1]R_{q1,q1}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[1]R_{q1,q1}</math> rotation is the ''identity operation'' of the 24-cell, in which no points move.|name=Rq1,q1}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q1}</math><br>[0] 2𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>(1,0,0,0)</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q1}</math><br>[0] 2𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>(1,0,0,0)</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|0
|0°
|{{radic|0}}
|0
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q1,-q1}</math><br>[12] 2𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>[1]R_{q1,-q1}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[1]R_{q1,-q1}</math> rotation is the ''central inversion'' of the 24-cell. This isoclinic rotation in great digon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex 180° {{=}} {{radic|4}} away,{{Efn|name=quaternion group}} without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left digon rotates 90° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 90° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right digon plane, ''which in this rotation is the completely orthogonal plane''. Repeated 4 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq1,-q1}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q1}</math><br>[12] 2𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>(1,0,0,0)</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{-q1}</math><br>[12] 2𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>(-1,0,0,0)</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|𝝅
|180°
|{{radic|4}}
|2
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|-
|colspan=15|Images by Tom Ruen in [[W:Triacontagon#Triacontagram|Triacontagram compounds and stars]].{{Sfn|Ruen: Triacontagon|2011|loc=§Triacontagram compounds and stars}}
|}
In a rotation class <math>[d]{R_{ql,qr}}</math> each quaternion group <math>\pm{q_n}</math> may be representative not only of its own fibration of Clifford parallel planes{{Efn|name=quaternion group}} but also of the other congruent fibrations.{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}} For example, rotation class <math>[4]R_{q7,q8}</math> takes the 4 hexagon planes of <math>q7</math> to the 4 hexagon planes of <math>q8</math> which are 120° away, in an isoclinic rotation. But in a rigid rotation of this kind,{{Efn|name=invariant planes of an isoclinic rotation}} all [16] hexagon planes move in congruent rotational displacements, so this rotation class also includes <math>[4]R_{-q7,-q8}</math>, <math>[4]R_{q8,q7}</math> and <math>[4]R_{-q8,-q7}</math>. The name <math>[16]R_{q7,q8}</math> is the conventional representation for all [16] congruent plane displacements.
These rotation classes are all subclasses of <math>[32]R_{q7,q8}</math> which has [32] distinct rotational displacements rather than [16] because there are two [[W:Chiral|chiral]] ways to perform any class of rotations, designated its ''left rotations'' and its ''right rotations''. The [16] left displacements of this class are not congruent with the [16] right displacements, but enantiomorphous like a pair of shoes.{{Efn|A ''right rotation'' is performed by rotating the left and right planes in the "same" direction, and a ''left rotation'' is performed by rotating left and right planes in "opposite" directions, according to the [[W:Right hand rule|right hand rule]] by which we conventionally say which way is "up" on each of the 4 coordinate axes. Left and right rotations are [[W:chiral|chiral]] enantiomorphous ''shapes'' (like a pair of shoes), not opposite rotational ''directions''. Both left and right rotations can be performed in either the positive or negative rotational direction (from left planes to right planes, or right planes to left planes), but that is an additional distinction.{{Efn|name=clasped hands}}|name=chirality versus direction}} Each left (or right) isoclinic rotation takes [16] left planes to [16] right planes, but the left and right planes correspond differently in the left and right rotations. The left and right rotational displacements of the same left plane take it to different right planes.
Each rotation class (table row) describes a distinct left (and right) [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]]. The left (or right) rotations carry the left planes to the right planes simultaneously,{{Efn|name=plane movement in rotations}} through a characteristic rotation angle.{{Efn|name=two angles between central planes}} For example, the <math>[32]R_{q7,q8}</math> rotation moves all [16] hexagonal planes at once by {{sfrac|2𝝅|3}} = 120° each. Repeated 6 times, this left (or right) isoclinic rotation moves each plane 720° and back to itself in the same [[W:Orientation entanglement|orientation]], passing through all 4 planes of the <math>q7</math> left set and all 4 planes of the <math>q8</math> right set once each.{{Efn|The <math>\pm q7</math> and <math>\pm q8</math> sets of planes are not disjoint; the union of any two of these four sets is a set of 6 planes. The left (versus right) isoclinic rotation of each of these rotation classes (table rows) visits a distinct left (versus right) circular sequence of the same set of 6 Clifford parallel planes.|name=union of q7 and q8}} The picture in the isocline column represents this union of the left and right plane sets. In the <math>[32]R_{q7,q8}</math> example it can be seen as a set of 4 Clifford parallel skew [[W:Hexagram|hexagram]]s, each having one edge in each great hexagon plane, and skewing to the left (or right) at each vertex throughout the left (or right) isoclinic rotation.{{Efn|name=clasped hands}}
== Conclusions ==
Very few if any of the observations made in this paper are original, as I hope the citations demonstrate, but some new terminology has been introduced in making them. The term '''radially equilateral''' describes a uniform polytope with its edge length equal to its long radius, because such polytopes can be constructed, with their long radii, from equilateral triangles which meet at the center, each contributing two radii and an edge. The use of the noun '''isocline''', for the circular geodesic path traced by a vertex of a 4-polytope undergoing [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]], may also be new in this context. The chord-path of an isocline may be called the 4-polytope's '''Clifford polygon''', as it is the skew polygonal shape of the rotational circles traversed by the 4-polytope's vertices in its characteristic [[W:Clifford displacement|Clifford displacement]].{{Sfn|Tyrrell|Semple|1971|loc=Linear Systems of Clifford Parallels|pp=34-57}}
== Acknowledgements ==
This paper is an extract of a [[24-cell|24-cell article]] collaboratively developed by Wikipedia editors. This version contains only those sections of the Wikipedia article which I authored, or which I completely rewrote. I have removed those sections principally authored by other Wikipedia editors, and illustrations and tables which I did not create myself, except for three indispensible rotating animations, one created by Greg Egan and two by Wikipedia illustrator [[Wikipedia:User:JasonHise|JasonHise (Jason Hise)]], which I have retained with attribution. Those images and others which appear in my tables and footnotes{{Efn|I am the author of the footnotes to this article, except for quotations and images they contain.}} are from Wikimedia Commons, with attributions; most were created by Wikipedia editor and illustrator [[W:User:Tomruen|Tomruen (Tom Ruen)]]. Consequently, this version is not a complete treatment of the 24-cell; it is missing some essential topics, and it is inadequately illustrated. As a subset of the collaboratively developed [[24-cell|24-cell article]] from which it was extracted, it is intended to gather in one place just what I have personally authored. Even so, it contains small fragments of which I am not the original author, and many editorial improvements by other Wikipedia editors. The original provenance of any sentence in this document may be ascertained precisely by consulting the complete revision history of the [[Wikipedia:24-cell]] article, in which I am identified as Wikipedia editor [[Wikipedia:User:Dc.samizdat|Dc.samizdat]].
Since I came to my own understanding of the 24-cell slowly, in the course of making additions to the [[Wikipedia:24-cell]] article, I am greatly indebted to the Wikipedia editors whose work on it preceded mine. Chief among these is Wikipedia editor [[W:User:Tomruen|Tomruen (Tom Ruen)]], the original author and principal illustrator of a great many of the Wikipedia articles on polytopes. The 24-cell article that I began with was already more accessible, to me, than even Coxeter's ''[[W:Regular Polytopes|Regular Polytopes]]'', or any other source treating the subject. I was inspired by the existence of Wikipedia articles on the 4-polytopes to study them more closely, and then became convinced by my own experience exploring this hypertext that the 4-polytopes could be understood most readily, and could be documented most engagingly and comprehensively, if everything that researchers have discovered about them were incorporated into a single encyclopedic hypertext. Well-illustrated hypertext seems naturally the most appropriate medium in which to describe a hyperspace, such as Euclidean 4-space. Another essential contributor to my dawning comprehension of 4-dimensional geometry was Wikipedia editor [[W:User:Cloudswrest|Cloudswrest (A.P. Goucher)]], who authored the section of the [[Wikipedia:24-cell]] article entitled ''[[24-cell#Cell rings|Cell rings]]'' describing the torus decomposition of the 24-cell into rings forming discrete Hopf fibrations, also studied by Banchoff.{{Sfn|Banchoff|2013|ps=, studied the decomposition of regular 4-polytopes into honeycombs of tori tiling the [[W:Clifford torus|Clifford torus]], showed how the honeycombs correspond to [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]]s, and made a particular study of the [[#6-cell rings|24-cell's 4 rings of 6 octahedral cells]] with illustrations.}} Finally, J.E. Mebius's definitive Wikipedia article on ''[[W:SO(4)|SO(4)]]'', the group of ''[[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space]]'', informs this entire paper, which is essentially an explanation of the 24-cell's geometry as a function of its isoclinic rotations.
== Future work ==
This paper is part of the evolving [[Polyscheme#Polyscheme project articles|Polyscheme collection of articles]] hosted at Wikiversity by the [[Polyscheme]] learning project.
The encyclopedia [[Wikipedia:Main_page|Wikipedia]] is not the only appropriate hypertext medium in which to explore and document the fourth dimension. Wikipedia rightly publishes only knowledge that can be sourced to previously published authorities. An encyclopedia cannot function as a research journal, in which is documented the broad, evolving edge of a field of knowledge, well before the observations made there have settled into a consensus of accepted facts. Moreover, an encyclopedia article must not become a textbook, or attempt to be the definitive whole story on a topic, or have too many footnotes! At some point in my enlargement of the [[Wikipedia:24-cell]] article, it began to transgress upon these limits, and other Wikipedia editors began to prune it back, appropriately for an encyclopedia article. I therefore sought out a home for an expanded, more-than-encyclopedic version of it and the other 4-polytope articles I was engaged in editing, where they could be enlarged by active researchers, beyond the scope of the Wikipedia encyclopedia articles.
Fortunately [[Main_page|Wikiversity]] provides just such a medium: an alternate hypertext web compatible with Wikipedia, but without the constraint of consisting of encyclopedia articles alone. A non-profit collaborative space for students, educators and researchers, Wikiversity hosts all kinds of hypertext learning resources, such as hypertext textbooks which enlarge upon topics covered by Wikipedia, and research journals covering various fields of study which accept papers for peer review and publication. A hypertext article hosted at Wikiversity may contain links to any Wikipedia or Wikiversity article. This paper, for example, is hosted at Wikiversity, but most of its links are to Wikipedia encyclopedia articles.
Three consistent versions of the 24-cell article now exist, including this paper. The most complete version is the expanded [[24-cell#24-cell|24-cell article hosted at Wikiversity]] as part of the [[Polyscheme research project]], which includes everything in the other two versions except these acknowledgments, plus additional learning resources. The original encyclopedia version, the [[Wikipedia:24-cell]] article, should rightly be an abridged version of that expanded Wikiversity [[24-cell]] article, from which extra content inappropriate for an encyclopedia article has been excluded.
== Notes ==
{{Regular convex 4-polytopes Notelist|wiki=W:}}
== Citations ==
{{Regular convex 4-polytopes Reflist|wiki=W:}}
== References ==
{{Refbegin}}
{{Regular convex 4-polytopes Refs|wiki=W:}}
* {{Citation|author-last=Hise|author-first=Jason|date=2011|author-link=W:User:JasonHise|title=A 3D projection of a 24-cell performing a simple rotation|title-link=Wikimedia:File:24-cell.gif|journal=Wikimedia Commons}}
* {{Citation|author-last=Hise|author-first=Jason|date=2007|author-link=W:User:JasonHise|title=A 3D projection of a 24-cell performing a double rotation|title-link=Wikimedia:File:24-cell-orig.gif|journal=Wikimedia Commons}}
* {{Citation|author-last=Egan|author-first=Greg|date=2019|title=A 24-cell containing red, green, and blue 16-cells performing a double rotation|title-link=Wikimedia:File:24-cell-3CP.gif|journal=Wikimedia Commons}}
{{Refend}}
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{{Article info
|journal=Wikijournal Preprints
|last=Christie
|first=David Brooks
|abstract=The 24-cell is one of only a few uniform polytopes in which the edge length equals the radius. It is the only one of the six convex regular 4-polytopes which is not the analogue of one of the five Platonic solids. It contains all the convex regular polytopes of four or fewer dimensions made of triangles or squares except the 4-simplex, but it contains no pentagons. It has just four distinct chord lengths, which are the diameters of the hypercubes of dimensions 1 through 4. The 24-cell is the unique construction of these four hypercubic chords and all the regular polytopes that can be built from them. Isoclinic rotations relate the convex regular 4-polytopes to each other, and determine the way they nest inside one another. The 24-cell's characteristic isoclinic rotation takes place in four Clifford parallel great hexagon central planes. It also inherits an isoclinic rotation in six Clifford parallel great square central planes that is characteristic of its three constituent 16-cells. We explore the geometry of the 24-cell in detail, as an expression of its rotational symmetries.
|w1=24-cell
}}
== The unique 24-point 24-cell polytope ==
The [[24-cell]] does not have a regular analogue in three dimensions or any other number of dimensions.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=289|loc=Epilogue|ps=; "Another peculiarity of four-dimensional space is the occurrence of the 24-cell {3,4,3}, which stands quite alone, having no analogue above or below."}} It is the only one of the six convex regular 4-polytopes which is not the analogue of one of the five Platonic solids. However, it can be seen as the analogue of a pair of irregular solids: the [[W:Cuboctahedron|cuboctahedron]] and its dual the [[W:Rhombic dodecahedron|rhombic dodecahedron]].{{Sfn|Coxeter|1995|loc=(Paper 3) ''Two aspects of the regular 24-cell in four dimensions''|p=25}}
The 24-cell and the [[W:Tesseract|8-cell (tesseract)]] are the only convex regular 4-polytopes in which the edge length equals the radius. The long radius (center to vertex) of each is equal to its edge length; thus its long diameter (vertex to opposite vertex) is 2 edge lengths. Only a few uniform polytopes have this property, including these two four-dimensional polytopes, the three-dimensional [[W:Cuboctahedron#Radial equilateral symmetry|cuboctahedron]], and the two-dimensional [[W:Hexagon#Regular hexagon|hexagon]]. The cuboctahedron is the equatorial cross section of the 24-cell, and the hexagon is the equatorial cross section of the cuboctahedron. These '''radially equilateral polytopes''' are those which can be constructed, with their long radii, from equilateral triangles which meet at the center of the polytope, each contributing two radii and an edge.
== The 24-cell in the proper sequence of 4-polytopes ==
The 24-cell incorporates the geometries of every convex regular polytope in the first four dimensions, except the 5-cell (4-simplex), those with a 5 in their Schlӓfli symbol,{{Efn|The convex regular polytopes in the first four dimensions with a 5 in their Schlӓfli symbol are the [[W:Pentagon|pentagon]] {5}, the [[W:Icosahedron|icosahedron]] {3, 5}, the [[W:Dodecahedron|dodecahedron]] {5, 3}, the [[600-cell]] {3,3,5} and the [[120-cell]] {5,3,3}. The [[5-cell]] {3, 3, 3} is also pentagonal in the sense that its [[W:Petrie polygon|Petrie polygon]] is the pentagon.|name=pentagonal polytopes|group=}} and the regular polygons with 7 or more sides. In other words, the 24-cell contains ''all'' of the regular polytopes made of triangles and squares that exist in four dimensions except the regular 5-cell, but ''none'' of the pentagonal polytopes. It is especially useful to explore the 24-cell, because one can see the geometric relationships among all of these regular polytopes in a single 24-cell or [[W:24-cell honeycomb|its honeycomb]].
The 24-cell is the fourth in the sequence of six [[W:Convex regular 4-polytope|convex regular 4-polytope]]s in order of size and complexity. These can be ordered by size as a measure of 4-dimensional content (hypervolume) for the same radius. This is their proper order of enumeration: the order in which they nest inside each other as compounds.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|loc=§7.8 The enumeration of possible regular figures|p=136}}{{Sfn|Goucher|2020|loc=Subsumptions of regular polytopes}} Each greater polytope in the sequence is ''rounder'' than its predecessor, enclosing more content{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=292-293|loc=Table I(ii): The sixteen regular polytopes {''p,q,r''} in four dimensions|ps=; An invaluable table providing all 20 metrics of each 4-polytope in edge length units. They must be algebraically converted to compare polytopes of the same radius.}} within the same radius. The 5-cell (4-simplex) is the limit smallest (and sharpest) case, and the 120-cell is the largest (and roundest). Complexity (as measured by comparing [[24-cell#As a configuration|configuration matrices]] or simply the number of vertices) follows the same ordering. This provides an alternative numerical naming scheme for regular polytopes in which the 24-cell is the 24-point 4-polytope: fourth in the ascending sequence that runs from 5-point (5-cell) 4-polytope to 600-point (120-cell) 4-polytope.
The 24-cell can be deconstructed into 3 overlapping instances of its predecessor the [[W:Tesseract|8-cell (tesseract)]], as the 8-cell can be deconstructed into 2 instances of its predecessor the [[16-cell]].{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=302|pp=|loc=Table VI (ii): 𝐈𝐈 = {3,4,3}|ps=: see Result column}} The reverse procedure to construct each of these from an instance of its predecessor preserves the radius of the predecessor, but generally produces a successor with a smaller edge length. The edge length will always be different unless predecessor and successor are ''both'' radially equilateral, i.e. their edge length is the same as their radius (so both are preserved). Since radially equilateral polytopes are rare, it seems that the only such construction (in any dimension) is from the 8-cell to the 24-cell, making the 24-cell the unique regular polytope (in any dimension) which has the same edge length as its predecessor of the same radius.
{{Regular convex 4-polytopes|wiki=W:|radius={{radic|2}}|instance=1}}
== Coordinates ==
The 24-cell has two natural systems of Cartesian coordinates, which reveal distinct structure.
=== Great squares ===
The 24-cell is the [[W:Convex hull|convex hull]] of its vertices which can be described as the 24 coordinate [[W:Permutation|permutation]]s of:
<math display="block">(\pm1, \pm 1, 0, 0) \in \mathbb{R}^4 .</math>
Those coordinates{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=156|loc=§8.7. Cartesian Coordinates}} can be constructed as {{Coxeter–Dynkin diagram|node|3|node_1|3|node|4|node}}, [[W:Rectification (geometry)|rectifying]] the [[16-cell]] {{Coxeter–Dynkin diagram|node_1|3|node|3|node|4|node}} with the 8 vertices that are permutations of (±2,0,0,0). The vertex figure of a 16-cell is the [[W:Octahedron|octahedron]]; thus, cutting the vertices of the 16-cell at the midpoint of its incident edges produces 8 octahedral cells. This process{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=|pp=145-146|loc=§8.1 The simple truncations of the general regular polytope}} also rectifies the tetrahedral cells of the 16-cell which become 16 octahedra, giving the 24-cell 24 octahedral cells.
In this frame of reference the 24-cell has edges of length {{sqrt|2}} and is inscribed in a [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]] of radius {{sqrt|2}}. Remarkably, the edge length equals the circumradius, as in the [[W:Hexagon|hexagon]], or the [[W:Cuboctahedron|cuboctahedron]].
The 24 vertices form 18 great squares{{Efn|The edges of six of the squares are aligned with the grid lines of the ''{{radic|2}} radius coordinate system''. For example:
{{indent|5}}({{spaces|2}}0, −1,{{spaces|2}}1,{{spaces|2}}0){{spaces|3}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}1,{{spaces|2}}1,{{spaces|2}}0)
{{indent|5}}({{spaces|2}}0, −1, −1,{{spaces|2}}0){{spaces|3}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}1, −1,{{spaces|2}}0)<br>
is the square in the ''xy'' plane. The edges of the squares are not 24-cell edges, they are interior chords joining two vertices 90<sup>o</sup> distant from each other; so the squares are merely invisible configurations of four of the 24-cell's vertices, not visible 24-cell features.|name=|group=}} (3 sets of 6 orthogonal{{Efn|Up to 6 planes can be mutually orthogonal in 4 dimensions. 3 dimensional space accommodates only 3 perpendicular axes and 3 perpendicular planes through a single point. In 4 dimensional space we may have 4 perpendicular axes and 6 perpendicular planes through a point (for the same reason that the tetrahedron has 6 edges, not 4): there are 6 ways to take 4 dimensions 2 at a time.{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}} Three such perpendicular planes (pairs of axes) meet at each vertex of the 24-cell (for the same reason that three edges meet at each vertex of the tetrahedron). Each of the 6 planes is [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] to just one of the other planes: the only one with which it does not share a line (for the same reason that each edge of the tetrahedron is orthogonal to just one of the other edges: the only one with which it does not share a point). Two completely orthogonal planes are perpendicular and opposite each other, as two edges of the tetrahedron are perpendicular and opposite.|name=six orthogonal planes tetrahedral symmetry}} central squares), 3 of which intersect at each vertex. By viewing just one square at each vertex, the 24-cell can be seen as the vertices of 3 pairs of [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]]{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}} great squares which intersect{{Efn|Two planes in 4-dimensional space can have four possible reciprocal positions: (1) they can coincide (be exactly the same plane); (2) they can be parallel (the only way they can fail to intersect at all); (3) they can intersect in a single line, as two non-parallel planes do in 3-dimensional space; or (4) '''they can intersect in a single point'''{{Efn|To visualize how two planes can intersect in a single point in a four dimensional space, consider the Euclidean space (w, x, y, z) and imagine that the w dimension represents time rather than a spatial dimension. The xy central plane (where w{{=}}0, z{{=}}0) shares no axis with the wz central plane (where x{{=}}0, y{{=}}0). The xy plane exists at only a single instant in time (w{{=}}0); the wz plane (and in particular the w axis) exists all the time. Thus their only moment and place of intersection is at the origin point (0,0,0,0).|name=how planes intersect at a single point}} if they are [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]].|name=how planes intersect}} at no vertices.{{Efn|name=three square fibrations}}
=== Great hexagons ===
The 24-cell is [[W:Self-dual|self-dual]], having the same number of vertices (24) as cells and the same number of edges (96) as faces.
If the dual of the above 24-cell of edge length {{sqrt|2}} is taken by reciprocating it about its ''inscribed'' sphere, another 24-cell is found which has edge length and circumradius 1, and its coordinates reveal more structure. In this frame of reference the 24-cell lies vertex-up, and its vertices can be given as follows:
8 vertices obtained by permuting the ''integer'' coordinates:
<math display="block">\left( \pm 1, 0, 0, 0 \right)</math>
and 16 vertices with ''half-integer'' coordinates of the form:
<math display="block">\left( \pm \tfrac{1}{2}, \pm \tfrac{1}{2}, \pm \tfrac{1}{2}, \pm \tfrac{1}{2} \right)</math>
all 24 of which lie at distance 1 from the origin.
[[24-cell#Quaternionic interpretation|Viewed as quaternions]],{{Efn|In [[W:Euclidean geometry#Higher dimensions|four-dimensional Euclidean geometry]], a [[W:Quaternion|quaternion]] is simply a (w, x, y, z) Cartesian coordinate. [[W:William Rowan Hamilton|Hamilton]] did not see them as such when he [[W:History of quaternions|discovered the quaternions]]. [[W:Ludwig Schläfli|Schläfli]] would be the first to consider [[W:4-dimensional space|four-dimensional Euclidean space]], publishing his discovery of the regular [[W:Polyscheme|polyscheme]]s in 1852, but Hamilton would never be influenced by that work, which remained obscure into the 20th century. Hamilton found the quaternions when he realized that a fourth dimension, in some sense, would be necessary in order to model rotations in three-dimensional space.{{Sfn|Stillwell|2001|p=18-21}} Although he described a quaternion as an ''ordered four-element multiple of real numbers'', the quaternions were for him an extension of the complex numbers, not a Euclidean space of four dimensions.|name=quaternions}} these are the unit [[W:Hurwitz quaternions|Hurwitz quaternions]]. These 24 quaternions represent (in antipodal pairs) the 12 rotations of a regular tetrahedron.{{Sfn|Stillwell|2001|p=22}}
The 24-cell has unit radius and unit edge length in this coordinate system. We refer to the system as ''unit radius coordinates'' to distinguish it from others, such as the {{sqrt|2}} radius coordinates used to reveal the [[#Great squares|great squares]] above.{{Efn|The edges of the orthogonal great squares are ''not'' aligned with the grid lines of the ''unit radius coordinate system''. Six of the squares do lie in the 6 orthogonal planes of this coordinate system, but their edges are the {{sqrt|2}} ''diagonals'' of unit edge length squares of the coordinate lattice. For example:
{{indent|17}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}1,{{spaces|2}}0)
{{indent|5}}({{spaces|2}}0, −1,{{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0){{spaces|3}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}1,{{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0)
{{indent|17}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0, −1,{{spaces|2}}0)<br>
is the square in the ''xy'' plane. Notice that the 8 ''integer'' coordinates comprise the vertices of the 6 orthogonal squares.|name=orthogonal squares|group=}}
{{Regular convex 4-polytopes|wiki=W:|radius=1}}
The 24 vertices and 96 edges form 16 non-orthogonal great hexagons,{{Efn|The hexagons are inclined (tilted) at 60 degrees with respect to the unit radius coordinate system's orthogonal planes. Each hexagonal plane contains only ''one'' of the 4 coordinate system axes.{{Efn|Each great hexagon of the 24-cell contains one axis (one pair of antipodal vertices) belonging to each of the three inscribed 16-cells. The 24-cell contains three disjoint inscribed 16-cells, rotated 60° isoclinically{{Efn|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} with respect to each other (so their corresponding vertices are 120° {{=}} {{radic|3}} apart). A [[16-cell#Coordinates|16-cell is an orthonormal ''basis'']] for a 4-dimensional coordinate system, because its 8 vertices define the four orthogonal axes. In any choice of a vertex-up coordinate system (such as the unit radius coordinates used in this article), one of the three inscribed 16-cells is the basis for the coordinate system, and each hexagon has only ''one'' axis which is a coordinate system axis.|name=three basis 16-cells}} The hexagon consists of 3 pairs of opposite vertices (three 24-cell diameters): one opposite pair of ''integer'' coordinate vertices (one of the four coordinate axes), and two opposite pairs of ''half-integer'' coordinate vertices (not coordinate axes). For example:
{{indent|17}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}1,{{spaces|2}}0)
{{indent|5}}({{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>){{spaces|3}}({{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>)
{{indent|5}}(−<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>){{spaces|3}}(−<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>)
{{indent|17}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0, −1,{{spaces|2}}0)<br>
is a hexagon on the ''y'' axis. Unlike the {{sqrt|2}} squares, the hexagons are actually made of 24-cell edges, so they are visible features of the 24-cell.|name=non-orthogonal hexagons|group=}} four of which intersect{{Efn||name=how planes intersect}} at each vertex.{{Efn|It is not difficult to visualize four hexagonal planes intersecting at 60 degrees to each other, even in three dimensions. Four hexagonal central planes intersect at 60 degrees in the [[W:Cuboctahedron|cuboctahedron]]. Four of the 24-cell's 16 hexagonal central planes (lying in the same 3-dimensional hyperplane) intersect at each of the 24-cell's vertices exactly the way they do at the center of a cuboctahedron. But the ''edges'' around the vertex do not meet as the radii do at the center of a cuboctahedron; the 24-cell has 8 edges around each vertex, not 12, so its vertex figure is the cube, not the cuboctahedron. The 8 edges meet exactly the way 8 edges do at the apex of a canonical [[W:Cubic pyramid|cubic pyramid]].{{Efn|name=24-cell vertex figure}}|name=cuboctahedral hexagons}} By viewing just one hexagon at each vertex, the 24-cell can be seen as the 24 vertices of 4 non-intersecting hexagonal great circles which are [[W:Clifford parallel|Clifford parallel]] to each other.{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}}
The 12 axes and 16 hexagons of the 24-cell constitute a [[W:Reye configuration|Reye configuration]], which in the language of [[W:Configuration (geometry)|configurations]] is written as 12<sub>4</sub>16<sub>3</sub> to indicate that each axis belongs to 4 hexagons, and each hexagon contains 3 axes.{{Sfn|Waegell|Aravind|2009|loc=§3.4 The 24-cell: points, lines and Reye's configuration|pp=4-5|ps=; In the 24-cell Reye's "points" and "lines" are axes and hexagons, respectively.}}
=== Great triangles ===
The 24 vertices form 32 equilateral great triangles, of edge length {{radic|3}} in the unit-radius 24-cell,{{Efn|These triangles' edges of length {{sqrt|3}} are the diagonals{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}} of cubical cells of unit edge length found within the 24-cell, but those cubical (tesseract){{Efn|name=three 8-cells}} cells are not cells of the unit radius coordinate lattice.|name=cube diagonals}} inscribed in the 16 great hexagons.{{Efn|These triangles lie in the same planes containing the hexagons;{{Efn|name=non-orthogonal hexagons}} two triangles of edge length {{sqrt|3}} are inscribed in each hexagon. For example, in unit radius coordinates:
{{indent|17}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}1,{{spaces|2}}0)
{{indent|5}}({{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>){{spaces|3}}({{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>)
{{indent|5}}(−<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>){{spaces|3}}(−<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>, −<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>,{{spaces|2}}<small>{{sfrac|1|2}}</small>)
{{indent|17}}({{spaces|2}}0,{{spaces|2}}0, −1,{{spaces|2}}0)<br>
are two opposing central triangles on the ''y'' axis, with each triangle formed by the vertices in alternating rows. Unlike the hexagons, the {{sqrt|3}} triangles are not made of actual 24-cell edges, so they are invisible features of the 24-cell, like the {{sqrt|2}} squares.|name=central triangles|group=}}
Each great triangle is a ring linking three completely disjoint{{Efn|name=completely disjoint}} great squares. The 18 great squares of the 24-cell occur as three sets of 6 orthogonal great squares,{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}} each forming a [[16-cell]].{{Efn|name=three isoclinic 16-cells}} The three 16-cells are completely disjoint (and [[#Clifford parallel polytopes|Clifford parallel]]): each has its own 8 vertices (on 4 orthogonal axes) and its own 24 edges (of length {{radic|2}}). The 18 square great circles are crossed by 16 hexagonal great circles; each hexagon has one axis (2 vertices) in each 16-cell.{{Efn|name=non-orthogonal hexagons}} The two great triangles inscribed in each great hexagon (occupying its alternate vertices, and with edges that are its {{radic|3}} chords) have one vertex in each 16-cell. Thus ''each great triangle is a ring linking the three completely disjoint 16-cells''. There are four different ways (four different ''fibrations'' of the 24-cell) in which the 8 vertices of the 16-cells correspond by being triangles of vertices {{radic|3}} apart: there are 32 distinct linking triangles. Each ''pair'' of 16-cells forms an 8-cell (tesseract).{{Efn|name=three 16-cells form three tesseracts}} Each great triangle has one {{radic|3}} edge in each tesseract, so it is also a ring linking the three tesseracts.
== Hypercubic chords ==
[[File:24-cell vertex geometry.png|thumb|Vertex geometry of the radially equilateral 24-cell, showing the 3 great circle polygons and the 4 vertex-to-vertex chord lengths.|alt=]]
The 24 vertices of the 24-cell are distributed{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=298|loc=Table V: The Distribution of Vertices of Four-Dimensional Polytopes in Parallel Solid Sections (§13.1); (i) Sections of {3,4,3} (edge 2) beginning with a vertex; see column ''a''|5=}} at four different [[W:Chord (geometry)|chord]] lengths from each other: {{sqrt|1}}, {{sqrt|2}}, {{sqrt|3}} and {{sqrt|4}}. The {{sqrt|1}} chords (the 24-cell edges) are the edges of central hexagons, and the {{sqrt|3}} chords are the diagonals of central hexagons. The {{sqrt|2}} chords are the edges of central squares, and the {{sqrt|4}} chords are the diagonals of central squares.
Each vertex is joined to 8 others{{Efn|The 8 nearest neighbor vertices surround the vertex (in the curved 3-dimensional space of the 24-cell's boundary surface) the way a cube's 8 corners surround its center. (The [[W:Vertex figure|vertex figure]] of the 24-cell is a cube.)|name=8 nearest vertices}} by an edge of length 1, spanning 60° = <small>{{sfrac|{{pi}}|3}}</small> of arc. Next nearest are 6 vertices{{Efn|The 6 second-nearest neighbor vertices surround the vertex in curved 3-dimensional space the way an octahedron's 6 corners surround its center.|name=6 second-nearest vertices}} located 90° = <small>{{sfrac|{{pi}}|2}}</small> away, along an interior chord of length {{sqrt|2}}. Another 8 vertices lie 120° = <small>{{sfrac|2{{pi}}|3}}</small> away, along an interior chord of length {{sqrt|3}}.{{Efn|name=nearest isoclinic vertices are {{radic|3}} away in third surrounding shell}} The opposite vertex is 180° = <small>{{pi}}</small> away along a diameter of length 2. Finally, as the 24-cell is radially equilateral, its center is 1 edge length away from all vertices.
To visualize how the interior polytopes of the 24-cell fit together (as described [[#Constructions|below]]), keep in mind that the four chord lengths ({{sqrt|1}}, {{sqrt|2}}, {{sqrt|3}}, {{sqrt|4}}) are the long diameters of the [[W:Hypercube|hypercube]]s of dimensions 1 through 4: the long diameter of the square is {{sqrt|2}}; the long diameter of the cube is {{sqrt|3}}; and the long diameter of the tesseract is {{sqrt|4}}.{{Efn|Thus ({{sqrt|1}}, {{sqrt|2}}, {{sqrt|3}}, {{sqrt|4}}) are the vertex chord lengths of the tesseract as well as of the 24-cell. They are also the diameters of the tesseract (from short to long), though not of the 24-cell.}} Moreover, the long diameter of the octahedron is {{sqrt|2}} like the square; and the long diameter of the 24-cell itself is {{sqrt|4}} like the tesseract.
== Geodesics ==
The vertex chords of the 24-cell are arranged in [[W:Geodesic|geodesic]] [[W:great circle|great circle]] polygons.{{Efn|A geodesic great circle lies in a 2-dimensional plane which passes through the center of the polytope. Notice that in 4 dimensions this central plane does ''not'' bisect the polytope into two equal-sized parts, as it would in 3 dimensions, just as a diameter (a central line) bisects a circle but does not bisect a sphere. Another difference is that in 4 dimensions not all pairs of great circles intersect at two points, as they do in 3 dimensions; some pairs do, but some pairs of great circles are non-intersecting Clifford parallels.{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}}}} The [[W:Geodesic distance|geodesic distance]] between two 24-cell vertices along a path of {{sqrt|1}} edges is always 1, 2, or 3, and it is 3 only for opposite vertices.{{Efn|If the [[W:Euclidean distance|Pythagorean distance]] between any two vertices is {{sqrt|1}}, their geodesic distance is 1; they may be two adjacent vertices (in the curved 3-space of the surface), or a vertex and the center (in 4-space). If their Pythagorean distance is {{sqrt|2}}, their geodesic distance is 2 (whether via 3-space or 4-space, because the path along the edges is the same straight line with one 90<sup>o</sup> bend in it as the path through the center). If their Pythagorean distance is {{sqrt|3}}, their geodesic distance is still 2 (whether on a hexagonal great circle past one 60<sup>o</sup> bend, or as a straight line with one 60<sup>o</sup> bend in it through the center). Finally, if their Pythagorean distance is {{sqrt|4}}, their geodesic distance is still 2 in 4-space (straight through the center), but it reaches 3 in 3-space (by going halfway around a hexagonal great circle).|name=Geodesic distance}}
The {{sqrt|1}} edges occur in 16 [[#Great hexagons|hexagonal great circles]] (in planes inclined at 60 degrees to each other), 4 of which cross{{Efn|name=cuboctahedral hexagons}} at each vertex.{{Efn|Eight {{sqrt|1}} edges converge in curved 3-dimensional space from the corners of the 24-cell's cubical vertex figure{{Efn|The [[W:Vertex figure|vertex figure]] is the facet which is made by truncating a vertex; canonically, at the mid-edges incident to the vertex. But one can make similar vertex figures of different radii by truncating at any point along those edges, up to and including truncating at the adjacent vertices to make a ''full size'' vertex figure. Stillwell defines the vertex figure as "the convex hull of the neighbouring vertices of a given vertex".{{Sfn|Stillwell|2001|p=17}} That is what serves the illustrative purpose here.|name=full size vertex figure}} and meet at its center (the vertex), where they form 4 straight lines which cross there. The 8 vertices of the cube are the eight nearest other vertices of the 24-cell. The straight lines are geodesics: two {{sqrt|1}}-length segments of an apparently straight line (in the 3-space of the 24-cell's curved surface) that is bent in the 4th dimension into a great circle hexagon (in 4-space). Imagined from inside this curved 3-space, the bends in the hexagons are invisible. From outside (if we could view the 24-cell in 4-space), the straight lines would be seen to bend in the 4th dimension at the cube centers, because the center is displaced outward in the 4th dimension, out of the hyperplane defined by the cube's vertices. Thus the vertex cube is actually a [[W:Cubic pyramid|cubic pyramid]]. Unlike a cube, it seems to be radially equilateral (like the tesseract and the 24-cell itself): its "radius" equals its edge length.{{Efn|The cube is not radially equilateral in Euclidean 3-space <math>\mathbb{R}^3</math>, but a cubic pyramid is radially equilateral in the curved 3-space of the 24-cell's surface, the [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]] <math>\mathbb{S}^3</math>. In 4-space the 8 edges radiating from its apex are not actually its radii: the apex of the [[W:Cubic pyramid|cubic pyramid]] is not actually its center, just one of its vertices. But in curved 3-space the edges radiating symmetrically from the apex ''are'' radii, so the cube is radially equilateral ''in that curved 3-space'' <math>\mathbb{S}^3</math>. In Euclidean 4-space <math>\mathbb{R}^4</math> 24 edges radiating symmetrically from a central point make the radially equilateral 24-cell, and a symmetrical subset of 16 of those edges make the [[W:Tesseract#Radial equilateral symmetry|radially equilateral tesseract]].}}|name=24-cell vertex figure}} The 96 distinct {{sqrt|1}} edges divide the surface into 96 triangular faces and 24 octahedral cells: a 24-cell. The 16 hexagonal great circles can be divided into 4 sets of 4 non-intersecting [[W:Clifford parallel|Clifford parallel]] geodesics, such that only one hexagonal great circle in each set passes through each vertex, and the 4 hexagons in each set reach all 24 vertices.{{Efn|name=hexagonal fibrations}}
The {{sqrt|2}} chords occur in 18 [[#Great squares|square great circles]] (3 sets of 6 orthogonal planes{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}}), 3 of which cross at each vertex.{{Efn|Six {{sqrt|2}} chords converge in 3-space from the face centers of the 24-cell's cubical vertex figure{{Efn|name=full size vertex figure}} and meet at its center (the vertex), where they form 3 straight lines which cross there perpendicularly. The 8 vertices of the cube are the eight nearest other vertices of the 24-cell, and eight {{sqrt|1}} edges converge from there, but let us ignore them now, since 7 straight lines crossing at the center is confusing to visualize all at once. Each of the six {{sqrt|2}} chords runs from this cube's center (the vertex) through a face center to the center of an adjacent (face-bonded) cube, which is another vertex of the 24-cell: not a nearest vertex (at the cube corners), but one located 90° away in a second concentric shell of six {{sqrt|2}}-distant vertices that surrounds the first shell of eight {{sqrt|1}}-distant vertices. The face-center through which the {{sqrt|2}} chord passes is the mid-point of the {{sqrt|2}} chord, so it lies inside the 24-cell.|name=|group=}} The 72 distinct {{sqrt|2}} chords do not run in the same planes as the hexagonal great circles; they do not follow the 24-cell's edges, they pass through its octagonal cell centers.{{Efn|One can cut the 24-cell through 6 vertices (in any hexagonal great circle plane), or through 4 vertices (in any square great circle plane). One can see this in the [[W:Cuboctahedron|cuboctahedron]] (the central [[W:hyperplane|hyperplane]] of the 24-cell), where there are four hexagonal great circles (along the edges) and six square great circles (across the square faces diagonally).}} The 72 {{sqrt|2}} chords are the 3 orthogonal axes of the 24 octahedral cells, joining vertices which are 2 {{radic|1}} edges apart. The 18 square great circles can be divided into 3 sets of 6 non-intersecting Clifford parallel geodesics,{{Efn|[[File:Hopf band wikipedia.png|thumb|Two [[W:Clifford parallel|Clifford parallel]] [[W:Great circle|great circle]]s on the [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]] spanned by a twisted [[W:Annulus (mathematics)|annulus]]. They have a common center point in [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|4-dimensional Euclidean space]], and could lie in [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] rotation planes.]][[W:Clifford parallel|Clifford parallel]]s are non-intersecting curved lines that are parallel in the sense that the perpendicular (shortest) distance between them is the same at each point.{{Sfn|Tyrrell|Semple|1971|loc=§3. Clifford's original definition of parallelism|pp=5-6}} A double helix is an example of Clifford parallelism in ordinary 3-dimensional Euclidean space. In 4-space Clifford parallels occur as geodesic great circles on the [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]].{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|pp=8-10|loc=Relations to Clifford Parallelism}} Whereas in 3-dimensional space, any two geodesic great circles on the 2-sphere will always intersect at two antipodal points, in 4-dimensional space not all great circles intersect; various sets of Clifford parallel non-intersecting geodesic great circles can be found on the 3-sphere. Perhaps the simplest example is that six mutually orthogonal great circles can be drawn on the 3-sphere, as three pairs of completely orthogonal great circles.{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}} Each completely orthogonal pair is Clifford parallel. The two circles cannot intersect at all, because they lie in planes which intersect at only one point: the center of the 3-sphere.{{Efn|Each square plane is isoclinic (Clifford parallel) to five other square planes but [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] to only one of them.{{Efn|name=Clifford parallel squares in the 16-cell and 24-cell}} Every pair of completely orthogonal planes has Clifford parallel great circles, but not all Clifford parallel great circles are orthogonal (e.g., none of the hexagonal geodesics in the 24-cell are mutually orthogonal).|name=only some Clifford parallels are orthogonal}} Because they are perpendicular and share a common center,{{Efn|In 4-space, two great circles can be perpendicular and share a common center ''which is their only point of intersection'', because there is more than one great [[W:2-sphere|2-sphere]] on the [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]]. The dimensionally analogous structure to a [[W:Great circle|great circle]] (a great 1-sphere) is a great 2-sphere,{{Sfn|Stillwell|2001|p=24}} which is an ordinary sphere that constitutes an ''equator'' boundary dividing the 3-sphere into two equal halves, just as a great circle divides the 2-sphere. Although two Clifford parallel great circles{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} occupy the same 3-sphere, they lie on different great 2-spheres. The great 2-spheres are [[#Clifford parallel polytopes|Clifford parallel 3-dimensional objects]], displaced relative to each other by a fixed distance ''d'' in the fourth dimension. Their corresponding points (on their two surfaces) are ''d'' apart. The 2-spheres (by which we mean their surfaces) do not intersect at all, although they have a common center point in 4-space. The displacement ''d'' between a pair of their corresponding points is the [[#Geodesics|chord of a great circle]] which intersects both 2-spheres, so ''d'' can be represented equivalently as a linear chordal distance, or as an angular distance.|name=great 2-spheres}} the two circles are obviously not parallel and separate in the usual way of parallel circles in 3 dimensions; rather they are connected like adjacent links in a chain, each passing through the other without intersecting at any points, forming a [[W:Hopf link|Hopf link]].|name=Clifford parallels}} such that only one square great circle in each set passes through each vertex, and the 6 squares in each set reach all 24 vertices.{{Efn|name=square fibrations}}
The {{sqrt|3}} chords occur in 32 [[#Great triangles|triangular great circles]] in 16 planes, 4 of which cross at each vertex.{{Efn|Eight {{sqrt|3}} chords converge from the corners of the 24-cell's cubical vertex figure{{Efn|name=full size vertex figure}} and meet at its center (the vertex), where they form 4 straight lines which cross there. Each of the eight {{sqrt|3}} chords runs from this cube's center to the center of a diagonally adjacent (vertex-bonded) cube,{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}} which is another vertex of the 24-cell: one located 120° away in a third concentric shell of eight {{sqrt|3}}-distant vertices surrounding the second shell of six {{sqrt|2}}-distant vertices that surrounds the first shell of eight {{sqrt|1}}-distant vertices.|name=nearest isoclinic vertices are {{radic|3}} away in third surrounding shell}} The 96 distinct {{sqrt|3}} chords{{Efn|name=cube diagonals}} run vertex-to-every-other-vertex in the same planes as the hexagonal great circles.{{Efn|name=central triangles}} They are the 3 edges of the 32 great triangles inscribed in the 16 great hexagons, joining vertices which are 2 {{sqrt|1}} edges apart on a great circle.{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}}
The {{sqrt|4}} chords occur as 12 vertex-to-vertex diameters (3 sets of 4 orthogonal axes), the 24 radii around the 25th central vertex.
The sum of the squared lengths{{Efn|The sum of 1・96 + 2・72 + 3・96 + 4・12 is 576.}} of all these distinct chords of the 24-cell is 576 = 24<sup>2</sup>.{{Efn|The sum of the squared lengths of all the distinct chords of any regular convex n-polytope of unit radius is the square of the number of vertices.{{Sfn|Copher|2019|loc=§3.2 Theorem 3.4|p=6}}}} These are all the central polygons through vertices, but in 4-space there are geodesics on the 3-sphere which do not lie in central planes at all. There are geodesic shortest paths between two 24-cell vertices that are helical rather than simply circular; they correspond to diagonal [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotations]] rather than [[#Simple rotations|simple rotations]].{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}}
The {{sqrt|1}} edges occur in 48 parallel pairs, {{sqrt|3}} apart. The {{sqrt|2}} chords occur in 36 parallel pairs, {{sqrt|2}} apart. The {{sqrt|3}} chords occur in 48 parallel pairs, {{sqrt|1}} apart.{{Efn|Each pair of parallel {{sqrt|1}} edges joins a pair of parallel {{sqrt|3}} chords to form one of 48 rectangles (inscribed in the 16 central hexagons), and each pair of parallel {{sqrt|2}} chords joins another pair of parallel {{sqrt|2}} chords to form one of the 18 central squares.|name=|group=}}
The central planes of the 24-cell can be divided into 4 orthogonal central hyperplanes (3-spaces) each forming a [[W:Cuboctahedron|cuboctahedron]]. The great hexagons are 60 degrees apart; the great squares are 90 degrees or 60 degrees apart; a great square and a great hexagon are 90 degrees ''and'' 60 degrees apart.{{Efn|Two angles are required to fix the relative positions of two planes in 4-space.{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|p=7|loc=§6 Angles between two Planes in 4-Space|ps=; "In four (and higher) dimensions, we need two angles to fix the relative position between two planes. (More generally, ''k'' angles are defined between ''k''-dimensional subspaces.)".}} Since all planes in the same hyperplane{{Efn|One way to visualize the ''n''-dimensional [[W:Hyperplane|hyperplane]]s is as the ''n''-spaces which can be defined by ''n + 1'' points. A point is the 0-space which is defined by 1 point. A line is the 1-space which is defined by 2 points which are not coincident. A plane is the 2-space which is defined by 3 points which are not colinear (any triangle). In 4-space, a 3-dimensional hyperplane is the 3-space which is defined by 4 points which are not coplanar (any tetrahedron). In 5-space, a 4-dimensional hyperplane is the 4-space which is defined by 5 points which are not cocellular (any 5-cell). These [[W:Simplex|simplex]] figures divide the hyperplane into two parts (inside and outside the figure), but in addition they divide the enclosing space into two parts (above and below the hyperplane). The ''n'' points ''bound'' a finite simplex figure (from the outside), and they ''define'' an infinite hyperplane (from the inside).{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|loc=§7.2.|p=120|ps=: "... any ''n''+1 points which do not lie in an (''n''-1)-space are the vertices of an ''n''-dimensional ''simplex''.... Thus the general simplex may alternatively be defined as a finite region of ''n''-space enclosed by ''n''+1 ''hyperplanes'' or (''n''-1)-spaces."}} These two divisions are orthogonal, so the defining simplex divides space into six regions: inside the simplex and in the hyperplane, inside the simplex but above or below the hyperplane, outside the simplex but in the hyperplane, and outside the simplex above or below the hyperplane.|name=hyperplanes|group=}} are 0 degrees apart in one of the two angles, only one angle is required in 3-space. Great hexagons in different hyperplanes are 60 degrees apart in ''both'' angles. Great squares in different hyperplanes are 90 degrees apart in ''both'' angles ([[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]]) or 60 degrees apart in ''both'' angles.{{Efn||name=Clifford parallel squares in the 16-cell and 24-cell}} Planes which are separated by two equal angles are called ''isoclinic''. Planes which are isoclinic have [[W:Clifford parallel|Clifford parallel]] great circles.{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} A great square and a great hexagon in different hyperplanes ''may'' be isoclinic, but often they are separated by a 90 degree angle ''and'' a 60 degree angle.|name=two angles between central planes}} Each set of similar central polygons (squares or hexagons) can be divided into 4 sets of non-intersecting Clifford parallel polygons (of 6 squares or 4 hexagons).{{Efn|Each pair of Clifford parallel polygons lies in two different hyperplanes (cuboctahedrons). The 4 Clifford parallel hexagons lie in 4 different cuboctahedrons.}} Each set of Clifford parallel great circles is a parallel [[W:Hopf fibration|fiber bundle]] which visits all 24 vertices just once.
Each great circle intersects{{Efn|name=how planes intersect}} with the other great circles to which it is not Clifford parallel at one {{sqrt|4}} diameter of the 24-cell.{{Efn|Two intersecting great squares or great hexagons share two opposing vertices, but squares or hexagons on Clifford parallel great circles share no vertices. Two intersecting great triangles share only one vertex, since they lack opposing vertices.|name=how great circle planes intersect|group=}} Great circles which are [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] or otherwise Clifford parallel{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} do not intersect at all: they pass through disjoint sets of vertices.{{Efn|name=pairs of completely orthogonal planes}}
== Constructions ==
[[File:24-cell-3CP.gif|thumb|The 24-point 24-cell contains three 8-point 16-cells (red, green, and blue),{{Sfn|Egan|2019|ps=; Double-rotating 24-cell with orthogonal red, green and blue vertices.}} double-rotated by 60 degrees with respect to each other.{{Efn|name=three isoclinic 16-cells}} Each 8-point 16-cell is a coordinate system basis frame of four perpendicular (w,x,y,z) axes, just as a 6-point [[w:Octahedron|octahedron]] is a coordinate system basis frame of three perpendicular (x,y,z) axes.{{Efn|name=three basis 16-cells}} One octahedral cell of the 24 cells is emphasized. Each octahedral cell has two vertices of each color, delimiting an invisible perpendicular axis of the octahedron, which is a {{radic|2}} edge of the red, green, or blue 16-cell.{{Efn|name=octahedral diameters}}]]
Triangles and squares come together uniquely in the 24-cell to generate, as interior features,{{Efn|Interior features are not considered elements of the polytope. For example, the center of a 24-cell is a noteworthy feature (as are its long radii), but these interior features do not count as elements in [[#Configuration|its configuration matrix]], which counts only elementary features (which are not interior to any other feature including the polytope itself). Interior features are not rendered in most of the diagrams and illustrations in this article (they are normally invisible). In illustrations showing interior features, we always draw interior edges as dashed lines, to distinguish them from elementary edges.|name=interior features|group=}} all of the triangle-faced and square-faced regular convex polytopes in the first four dimensions (with caveats for the [[5-cell]] and the [[600-cell]]).{{Efn|The [[600-cell]] is larger than the 24-cell, and contains the 24-cell as an interior feature.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=153|loc=8.5. Gosset's construction for {3,3,5}|ps=: "In fact, the vertices of {3,3,5}, each taken 5 times, are the vertices of 25 {3,4,3}'s."}} The regular [[5-cell]] is not found in the interior of any convex regular 4-polytope except the [[120-cell]],{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=304|loc=Table VI(iv) II={5,3,3}|ps=: Faceting {5,3,3}[120𝛼<sub>4</sub>]{3,3,5} of the 120-cell reveals 120 regular 5-cells.}} though every convex 4-polytope can be [[#Characteristic orthoscheme|deconstructed into irregular 5-cells.]]|name=|group=}} Consequently, there are numerous ways to construct or deconstruct the 24-cell.
==== Reciprocal constructions from 8-cell and 16-cell ====
The 8 integer vertices (±1, 0, 0, 0) are the vertices of a regular [[16-cell]], and the 16 half-integer vertices (±{{sfrac|1|2}}, ±{{sfrac|1|2}}, ±{{sfrac|1|2}}, ±{{sfrac|1|2}}) are the vertices of its dual, the [[W:Tesseract|8-cell (tesseract)]].{{Sfn|Egan|2021|loc=animation of a rotating 24-cell|ps=: {{color|red}} half-integer vertices (tesseract), {{Font color|fg=yellow|bg=black|text=yellow}} and {{color|black}} integer vertices (16-cell).}} The tesseract gives Gosset's construction{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=150|loc=Gosset}} of the 24-cell, equivalent to cutting a tesseract into 8 [[W:Cubic pyramid|cubic pyramid]]s, and then attaching them to the facets of a second tesseract. The analogous construction in 3-space gives the [[W:Rhombic dodecahedron|rhombic dodecahedron]] which, however, is not regular.{{Efn|[[File:R1-cube.gif|thumb|150px|Construction of a [[W:Rhombic dodecahedron|rhombic dodecahedron]] from a cube.]]This animation shows the construction of a [[W:Rhombic dodecahedron|rhombic dodecahedron]] from a cube, by inverting the center-to-face pyramids of a cube. Gosset's construction of a 24-cell from a tesseract is the 4-dimensional analogue of this process, inverting the center-to-cell pyramids of an 8-cell (tesseract).{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=150|loc=Gosset}}|name=rhombic dodecahedron from a cube}} The 16-cell gives the reciprocal construction of the 24-cell, Cesaro's construction,{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=148|loc=§8.2. Cesaro's construction for {3, 4, 3}.}} equivalent to rectifying a 16-cell (truncating its corners at the mid-edges, as described [[#Great squares|above]]). The analogous construction in 3-space gives the [[W:Cuboctahedron|cuboctahedron]] (dual of the rhombic dodecahedron) which, however, is not regular. The tesseract and the 16-cell are the only regular 4-polytopes in the 24-cell.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=302|loc=Table VI(ii) II={3,4,3}, Result column}}
We can further divide the 16 half-integer vertices into two groups: those whose coordinates contain an even number of minus (−) signs and those with an odd number. Each of these groups of 8 vertices also define a regular 16-cell. This shows that the vertices of the 24-cell can be grouped into three disjoint sets of eight with each set defining a regular 16-cell, and with the complement defining the dual tesseract.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=149-150|loc=§8.22. see illustrations Fig. 8.2<small>A</small> and Fig 8.2<small>B</small>|p=|ps=}} This also shows that the symmetries of the 16-cell form a subgroup of index 3 of the symmetry group of the 24-cell.{{Efn|name=three 16-cells form three tesseracts}}
==== Diminishings ====
We can [[W:Faceting|facet]] the 24-cell by cutting{{Efn|We can cut a vertex off a polygon with a 0-dimensional cutting instrument (like the point of a knife, or the head of a zipper) by sweeping it along a 1-dimensional line, exposing a new edge. We can cut a vertex off a polyhedron with a 1-dimensional cutting edge (like a knife) by sweeping it through a 2-dimensional face plane, exposing a new face. We can cut a vertex off a polychoron (a 4-polytope) with a 2-dimensional cutting plane (like a snowplow), by sweeping it through a 3-dimensional cell volume, exposing a new cell. Notice that as within the new edge length of the polygon or the new face area of the polyhedron, every point within the new cell volume is now exposed on the surface of the polychoron.}} through interior cells bounded by vertex chords to remove vertices, exposing the [[W:Facet (geometry)|facets]] of interior 4-polytopes [[W:Inscribed figure|inscribed]] in the 24-cell. One can cut a 24-cell through any planar hexagon of 6 vertices, any planar rectangle of 4 vertices, or any triangle of 3 vertices. The great circle central planes ([[#Geodesics|above]]) are only some of those planes. Here we shall expose some of the others: the face planes{{Efn|Each cell face plane intersects with the other face planes of its kind to which it is not completely orthogonal or parallel at their characteristic vertex chord edge. Adjacent face planes of orthogonally-faced cells (such as cubes) intersect at an edge since they are not completely orthogonal.{{Efn|name=how planes intersect}} Although their dihedral angle is 90 degrees in the boundary 3-space, they lie in the same hyperplane{{Efn|name=hyperplanes}} (they are coincident rather than perpendicular in the fourth dimension); thus they intersect in a line, as non-parallel planes do in any 3-space.|name=how face planes intersect}} of interior polytopes.{{Efn|The only planes through exactly 6 vertices of the 24-cell (not counting the central vertex) are the '''16 hexagonal great circles'''. There are no planes through exactly 5 vertices. There are several kinds of planes through exactly 4 vertices: the 18 {{sqrt|2}} square great circles, the '''72 {{sqrt|1}} square (tesseract) faces''', and 144 {{sqrt|1}} by {{sqrt|2}} rectangles. The planes through exactly 3 vertices are the 96 {{sqrt|2}} equilateral triangle (16-cell) faces, and the '''96 {{sqrt|1}} equilateral triangle (24-cell) faces'''. There are an infinite number of central planes through exactly two vertices (great circle [[W:Digon|digon]]s); 16 are distinguished, as each is [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] to one of the 16 hexagonal great circles. '''Only the polygons composed of 24-cell {{radic|1}} edges are visible''' in the projections and rotating animations illustrating this article; the others contain invisible interior chords.{{Efn|name=interior features}}|name=planes through vertices|group=}}
===== 8-cell =====
Starting with a complete 24-cell, remove 8 orthogonal vertices (4 opposite pairs on 4 perpendicular axes), and the 8 edges which radiate from each, by cutting through 8 cubic cells bounded by {{sqrt|1}} edges to remove 8 [[W:Cubic pyramid|cubic pyramid]]s whose [[W:Apex (geometry)|apexes]] are the vertices to be removed. This removes 4 edges from each hexagonal great circle (retaining just one opposite pair of edges), so no continuous hexagonal great circles remain. Now 3 perpendicular edges meet and form the corner of a cube at each of the 16 remaining vertices,{{Efn|The 24-cell's cubical vertex figure{{Efn|name=full size vertex figure}} has been truncated to a tetrahedral vertex figure (see [[#Relationships among interior polytopes|Kepler's drawing]]). The vertex cube has vanished, and now there are only 4 corners of the vertex figure where before there were 8. Four tesseract edges converge from the tetrahedron vertices and meet at its center, where they do not cross (since the tetrahedron does not have opposing vertices).|name=|group=}} and the 32 remaining edges divide the surface into 24 square faces and 8 cubic cells: a [[W:Tesseract|tesseract]]. There are three ways you can do this (choose a set of 8 orthogonal vertices out of 24), so there are three such tesseracts inscribed in the 24-cell.{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}} They overlap with each other, but most of their element sets are disjoint: they share some vertex count, but no edge length, face area, or cell volume.{{Efn|name=vertex-bonded octahedra}} They do share 4-content, their common core.{{Efn||name=common core|group=}}
===== 16-cell =====
Starting with a complete 24-cell, remove the 16 vertices of a tesseract (retaining the 8 vertices you removed above), by cutting through 16 tetrahedral cells bounded by {{sqrt|2}} chords to remove 16 [[W:Tetrahedral pyramid|tetrahedral pyramid]]s whose apexes are the vertices to be removed. This removes 12 great squares (retaining just one orthogonal set) and all the {{sqrt|1}} edges, exposing {{sqrt|2}} chords as the new edges. Now the remaining 6 great squares cross perpendicularly, 3 at each of 8 remaining vertices,{{Efn|The 24-cell's cubical vertex figure{{Efn|name=full size vertex figure}} has been truncated to an octahedral vertex figure. The vertex cube has vanished, and now there are only 6 corners of the vertex figure where before there were 8. The 6 {{sqrt|2}} chords which formerly converged from cube face centers now converge from octahedron vertices; but just as before, they meet at the center where 3 straight lines cross perpendicularly. The octahedron vertices are located 90° away outside the vanished cube, at the new nearest vertices; before truncation those were 24-cell vertices in the second shell of surrounding vertices.|name=|group=}} and their 24 edges divide the surface into 32 triangular faces and 16 tetrahedral cells: a [[16-cell]]. There are three ways you can do this (remove 1 of 3 sets of tesseract vertices), so there are three such 16-cells inscribed in the 24-cell.{{Efn|name=three isoclinic 16-cells}} They overlap with each other, but all of their element sets are disjoint:{{Efn|name=completely disjoint}} they do not share any vertex count, edge length,{{Efn|name=root 2 chords}} or face area, but they do share cell volume. They also share 4-content, their common core.{{Efn||name=common core|group=}}
==== Tetrahedral constructions ====
The 24-cell can be constructed radially from 96 equilateral triangles of edge length {{sqrt|1}} which meet at the center of the polytope, each contributing two radii and an edge. They form 96 {{sqrt|1}} tetrahedra (each contributing one 24-cell face), all sharing the 25th central apex vertex. These form 24 octahedral pyramids (half-16-cells) with their apexes at the center.
The 24-cell can be constructed from 96 equilateral triangles of edge length {{sqrt|2}}, where the three vertices of each triangle are located 90° = <small>{{sfrac|{{pi}}|2}}</small> away from each other on the 3-sphere. They form 48 {{sqrt|2}}-edge tetrahedra (the cells of the [[#16-cell|three 16-cells]]), centered at the 24 mid-edge-radii of the 24-cell.{{Efn|Each of the 72 {{sqrt|2}} chords in the 24-cell is a face diagonal in two distinct cubical cells (of different 8-cells) and an edge of four tetrahedral cells (in just one 16-cell).|name=root 2 chords}}
The 24-cell can be constructed directly from its [[#Characteristic orthoscheme|characteristic simplex]] {{Coxeter–Dynkin diagram|node|3|node|4|node|3|node}}, the [[5-cell#Irregular 5-cells|irregular 5-cell]] which is the [[W:Fundamental region|fundamental region]] of its [[W:Coxeter group|symmetry group]] [[W:F4 polytope|F<sub>4</sub>]], by reflection of that 4-[[W:Orthoscheme|orthoscheme]] in its own cells (which are 3-orthoschemes).{{Efn|An [[W:Orthoscheme|orthoscheme]] is a [[W:chiral|chiral]] irregular [[W:Simplex|simplex]] with [[W:Right triangle|right triangle]] faces that is characteristic of some polytope if it will exactly fill that polytope with the reflections of itself in its own [[W:Facet (geometry)|facet]]s (its ''mirror walls''). Every regular polytope can be dissected radially into instances of its [[W:Orthoscheme#Characteristic simplex of the general regular polytope|characteristic orthoscheme]] surrounding its center. The characteristic orthoscheme has the shape described by the same [[W:Coxeter-Dynkin diagram|Coxeter-Dynkin diagram]] as the regular polytope without the ''generating point'' ring.|name=characteristic orthoscheme}}
==== Cubic constructions ====
The 24-cell is not only the 24-octahedral-cell, it is also the 24-cubical-cell, although the cubes are cells of the three 8-cells, not cells of the 24-cell, in which they are not volumetrically disjoint.
The 24-cell can be constructed from 24 cubes of its own edge length (three 8-cells).{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}} Each of the cubes is shared by 2 8-cells, each of the cubes' square faces is shared by 4 cubes (in 2 8-cells), each of the 96 edges is shared by 8 square faces (in 4 cubes in 2 8-cells), and each of the 96 vertices is shared by 16 edges (in 8 square faces in 4 cubes in 2 8-cells).
== Relationships among interior polytopes ==
The 24-cell, three tesseracts, and three 16-cells are deeply entwined around their common center, and intersect in a common core.{{Efn|A simple way of stating this relationship is that the common core of the {{radic|2}}-radius 4-polytopes is the unit-radius 24-cell. The common core of the 24-cell and its inscribed 8-cells and 16-cells is the unit-radius 24-cell's insphere-inscribed dual 24-cell of edge length and radius {{radic|1/2}}.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1995|p=29|loc=(Paper 3) ''Two aspects of the regular 24-cell in four dimensions''|ps=; "The common content of the 4-cube and the 16-cell is a smaller {3,4,3} whose vertices are the permutations of [(±{{sfrac|1|2}}, ±{{sfrac|1|2}}, 0, 0)]".}} Rectifying any of the three 16-cells reveals this smaller 24-cell, which has a 4-content of only 1/2 (1/4 that of the unit-radius 24-cell). Its vertices lie at the centers of the 24-cell's octahedral cells, which are also the centers of the tesseracts' square faces, and are also the centers of the 16-cells' edges.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=147|loc=§8.1 The simple truncations of the general regular polytope|ps=; "At a point of contact, [elements of a regular polytope and elements of its dual in which it is inscribed in some manner] lie in [[W:completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] subspaces of the tangent hyperplane to the sphere [of reciprocation], so their only common point is the point of contact itself....{{Efn|name=how planes intersect}} In fact, the [various] radii <sub>0</sub>𝑹, <sub>1</sub>𝑹, <sub>2</sub>𝑹, ... determine the polytopes ... whose vertices are the centers of elements 𝐈𝐈<sub>0</sub>, 𝐈𝐈<sub>1</sub>, 𝐈𝐈<sub>2</sub>, ... of the original polytope."}}|name=common core|group=}} The tesseracts and the 16-cells are rotated 60° isoclinically{{Efn|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} with respect to each other. This means that the corresponding vertices of two tesseracts or two 16-cells are {{radic|3}} (120°) apart.{{Efn|The 24-cell contains 3 distinct 8-cells (tesseracts), rotated 60° isoclinically with respect to each other. The corresponding vertices of two 8-cells are {{radic|3}} (120°) apart. Each 8-cell contains 8 cubical cells, and each cube contains four {{radic|3}} chords (its long diameters). The 8-cells are not completely disjoint (they share vertices),{{Efn|name=completely disjoint}} but each {{radic|3}} chord occurs as a cube long diameter in just one 8-cell. The {{radic|3}} chords joining the corresponding vertices of two 8-cells belong to the third 8-cell as cube diameters.{{Efn|name=nearest isoclinic vertices are {{radic|3}} away in third surrounding shell}}|name=three 8-cells}}
The tesseracts are inscribed in the 24-cell{{Efn|The 24 vertices of the 24-cell, each used twice, are the vertices of three 16-vertex tesseracts.|name=|group=}} such that their vertices and edges are exterior elements of the 24-cell, but their square faces and cubical cells lie inside the 24-cell (they are not elements of the 24-cell). The 16-cells are inscribed in the 24-cell{{Efn|The 24 vertices of the 24-cell, each used once, are the vertices of three 8-vertex 16-cells.{{Efn|name=three basis 16-cells}}|name=|group=}} such that only their vertices are exterior elements of the 24-cell: their edges, triangular faces, and tetrahedral cells lie inside the 24-cell. The interior{{Efn|The edges of the 16-cells are not shown in any of the renderings in this article; if we wanted to show interior edges, they could be drawn as dashed lines. The edges of the inscribed tesseracts are always visible, because they are also edges of the 24-cell.}} 16-cell edges have length {{sqrt|2}}.[[File:Kepler's tetrahedron in cube.png|thumb|Kepler's drawing of tetrahedra in the cube.{{Sfn|Kepler|1619|p=181}}]]
The 16-cells are also inscribed in the tesseracts: their {{sqrt|2}} edges are the face diagonals of the tesseract, and their 8 vertices occupy every other vertex of the tesseract. Each tesseract has two 16-cells inscribed in it (occupying the opposite vertices and face diagonals), so each 16-cell is inscribed in two of the three 8-cells.{{Sfn|van Ittersum|2020|loc=§4.2|pp=73-79}}{{Efn|name=three 16-cells form three tesseracts}} This is reminiscent of the way, in 3 dimensions, two opposing regular tetrahedra can be inscribed in a cube, as discovered by Kepler.{{Sfn|Kepler|1619|p=181}} In fact it is the exact dimensional analogy (the [[W:Demihypercube|demihypercube]]s), and the 48 tetrahedral cells are inscribed in the 24 cubical cells in just that way.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=269|loc=§14.32|ps=. "For instance, in the case of <math>\gamma_4[2\beta_4]</math>...."}}{{Efn|name=root 2 chords}}
The 24-cell encloses the three tesseracts within its envelope of octahedral facets, leaving 4-dimensional space in some places between its envelope and each tesseract's envelope of cubes. Each tesseract encloses two of the three 16-cells, leaving 4-dimensional space in some places between its envelope and each 16-cell's envelope of tetrahedra. Thus there are measurable{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=292-293|loc=Table I(ii): The sixteen regular polytopes {''p,q,r''} in four dimensions|ps=; An invaluable table providing all 20 metrics of each 4-polytope in edge length units. They must be algebraically converted to compare polytopes of the same radius.}} 4-dimensional interstices{{Efn|The 4-dimensional content of the unit edge length tesseract is 1 (by definition). The content of the unit edge length 24-cell is 2, so half its content is inside each tesseract, and half is between their envelopes. Each 16-cell (edge length {{sqrt|2}}) encloses a content of 2/3, leaving 1/3 of an enclosing tesseract between their envelopes.|name=|group=}} between the 24-cell, 8-cell and 16-cell envelopes. The shapes filling these gaps are [[W:Hyperpyramid|4-pyramids]], alluded to above.{{Efn|Between the 24-cell envelope and the 8-cell envelope, we have the 8 cubic pyramids of Gosset's construction. Between the 8-cell envelope and the 16-cell envelope, we have 16 right [[5-cell#Irregular 5-cell|tetrahedral pyramids]], with their apexes filling the corners of the tesseract.}}
== Boundary cells ==
Despite the 4-dimensional interstices between 24-cell, 8-cell and 16-cell envelopes, their 3-dimensional volumes overlap. The different envelopes are separated in some places, and in contact in other places (where no 4-pyramid lies between them). Where they are in contact, they merge and share cell volume: they are the same 3-membrane in those places, not two separate but adjacent 3-dimensional layers.{{Efn|Because there are three overlapping tesseracts inscribed in the 24-cell,{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}} each octahedral cell lies ''on'' a cubic cell of one tesseract (in the cubic pyramid based on the cube, but not in the cube's volume), and ''in'' two cubic cells of each of the other two tesseracts (cubic cells which it spans, sharing their volume).{{Efn|name=octahedral diameters}}|name=octahedra both on and in cubes}} Because there are a total of 7 envelopes, there are places where several envelopes come together and merge volume, and also places where envelopes interpenetrate (cross from inside to outside each other).
Some interior features lie within the 3-space of the (outer) boundary envelope of the 24-cell itself: each octahedral cell is bisected by three perpendicular squares (one from each of the tesseracts), and the diagonals of those squares (which cross each other perpendicularly at the center of the octahedron) are 16-cell edges (one from each 16-cell). Each square bisects an octahedron into two square pyramids, and also bonds two adjacent cubic cells of a tesseract together as their common face.{{Efn|Consider the three perpendicular {{sqrt|2}} long diameters of the octahedral cell.{{Sfn|van Ittersum|2020|p=79}} Each of them is an edge of a different 16-cell. Two of them are the face diagonals of the square face between two cubes; each is a {{sqrt|2}} chord that connects two vertices of those 8-cell cubes across a square face, connects two vertices of two 16-cell tetrahedra (inscribed in the cubes), and connects two opposite vertices of a 24-cell octahedron (diagonally across two of the three orthogonal square central sections).{{Efn|name=root 2 chords}} The third perpendicular long diameter of the octahedron does exactly the same (by symmetry); so it also connects two vertices of a pair of cubes across their common square face: but a different pair of cubes, from one of the other tesseracts in the 24-cell.{{Efn|name=vertex-bonded octahedra}}|name=octahedral diameters}}
As we saw [[#Relationships among interior polytopes|above]], 16-cell {{sqrt|2}} tetrahedral cells are inscribed in tesseract {{sqrt|1}} cubic cells, sharing the same volume. 24-cell {{sqrt|1}} octahedral cells overlap their volume with {{sqrt|1}} cubic cells: they are bisected by a square face into two square pyramids,{{sfn|Coxeter|1973|page=150|postscript=: "Thus the 24 cells of the {3, 4, 3} are dipyramids based on the 24 squares of the <math>\gamma_4</math>. (Their centres are the mid-points of the 24 edges of the <math>\beta_4</math>.)"}} the apexes of which also lie at a vertex of a cube.{{Efn|This might appear at first to be angularly impossible, and indeed it would be in a flat space of only three dimensions. If two cubes rest face-to-face in an ordinary 3-dimensional space (e.g. on the surface of a table in an ordinary 3-dimensional room), an octahedron will fit inside them such that four of its six vertices are at the four corners of the square face between the two cubes; but then the other two octahedral vertices will not lie at a cube corner (they will fall within the volume of the two cubes, but not at a cube vertex). In four dimensions, this is no less true! The other two octahedral vertices do ''not'' lie at a corner of the adjacent face-bonded cube in the same tesseract. However, in the 24-cell there is not just one inscribed tesseract (of 8 cubes), there are three overlapping tesseracts (of 8 cubes each). The other two octahedral vertices ''do'' lie at the corner of a cube: but a cube in another (overlapping) tesseract.{{Efn|name=octahedra both on and in cubes}}}} The octahedra share volume not only with the cubes, but with the tetrahedra inscribed in them; thus the 24-cell, tesseracts, and 16-cells all share some boundary volume.{{Efn|name=octahedra both on and in cubes}}
== Radially equilateral honeycomb ==
The dual tessellation of the [[W:24-cell honeycomb|24-cell honeycomb {3,4,3,3}]] is the [[W:16-cell honeycomb|16-cell honeycomb {3,3,4,3}]]. The third regular tessellation of four dimensional space is the [[W:Tesseractic honeycomb|tesseractic honeycomb {4,3,3,4}]], whose vertices can be described by 4-integer Cartesian coordinates.{{Efn|name=quaternions}} The congruent relationships among these three tessellations can be helpful in visualizing the 24-cell, in particular the radial equilateral symmetry which it shares with the tesseract.
A honeycomb of unit edge length 24-cells may be overlaid on a honeycomb of unit edge length tesseracts such that every vertex of a tesseract (every 4-integer coordinate) is also the vertex of a 24-cell (and tesseract edges are also 24-cell edges), and every center of a 24-cell is also the center of a tesseract.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=163|ps=: Coxeter notes that [[W:Thorold Gosset|Thorold Gosset]] was apparently the first to see that the cells of the 24-cell honeycomb {3,4,3,3} are concentric with alternate cells of the tesseractic honeycomb {4,3,3,4}, and that this observation enabled Gosset's method of construction of the complete set of regular polytopes and honeycombs.}} The 24-cells are twice as large as the tesseracts by 4-dimensional content (hypervolume), so overall there are two tesseracts for every 24-cell, only half of which are inscribed in a 24-cell. If those tesseracts are colored black, and their adjacent tesseracts (with which they share a cubical facet) are colored red, a 4-dimensional checkerboard results.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=156|loc=|ps=: "...the chess-board has an n-dimensional analogue."}} Of the 24 center-to-vertex radii{{Efn|It is important to visualize the radii only as invisible interior features of the 24-cell (dashed lines), since they are not edges of the honeycomb. Similarly, the center of the 24-cell is empty (not a vertex of the honeycomb).}} of each 24-cell, 16 are also the radii of a black tesseract inscribed in the 24-cell. The other 8 radii extend outside the black tesseract (through the centers of its cubical facets) to the centers of the 8 adjacent red tesseracts. Thus the 24-cell honeycomb and the tesseractic honeycomb coincide in a special way: 8 of the 24 vertices of each 24-cell do not occur at a vertex of a tesseract (they occur at the center of a tesseract instead). Each black tesseract is cut from a 24-cell by truncating it at these 8 vertices, slicing off 8 cubic pyramids (as in reversing Gosset's construction,{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=150|loc=Gosset}} but instead of being removed the pyramids are simply colored red and left in place). Eight 24-cells meet at the center of each red tesseract: each one meets its opposite at that shared vertex, and the six others at a shared octahedral cell. <!-- illustration needed: the red/black checkerboard of the combined 24-cell honeycomb and tesseractic honeycomb; use a vertex-first projection of the 24-cells, and outline the edges of the rhombic dodecahedra as blue lines -->
The red tesseracts are filled cells (they contain a central vertex and radii); the black tesseracts are empty cells. The vertex set of this union of two honeycombs includes the vertices of all the 24-cells and tesseracts, plus the centers of the red tesseracts. Adding the 24-cell centers (which are also the black tesseract centers) to this honeycomb yields a 16-cell honeycomb, the vertex set of which includes all the vertices and centers of all the 24-cells and tesseracts. The formerly empty centers of adjacent 24-cells become the opposite vertices of a unit edge length 16-cell. 24 half-16-cells (octahedral pyramids) meet at each formerly empty center to fill each 24-cell, and their octahedral bases are the 6-vertex octahedral facets of the 24-cell (shared with an adjacent 24-cell).{{Efn|Unlike the 24-cell and the tesseract, the 16-cell is not radially equilateral; therefore 16-cells of two different sizes (unit edge length versus unit radius) occur in the unit edge length honeycomb. The twenty-four 16-cells that meet at the center of each 24-cell have unit edge length, and radius {{sfrac|{{radic|2}}|2}}. The three 16-cells inscribed in each 24-cell have edge length {{radic|2}}, and unit radius.}}
Notice the complete absence of pentagons anywhere in this union of three honeycombs. Like the 24-cell, 4-dimensional Euclidean space itself is entirely filled by a complex of all the polytopes that can be built out of regular triangles and squares (except the 5-cell), but that complex does not require (or permit) any of the pentagonal polytopes.{{Efn|name=pentagonal polytopes}}
== Rotations ==
The [[#The 24-cell in the proper sequence of 4-polytopes|regular convex 4-polytopes]] are an [[W:Group action|expression]] of their underlying [[W:Symmetry (geometry)|symmetry]] which is known as [[W:SO(4)|SO(4)]],{{Sfn|Goucher|2019|loc=Spin Groups}} the [[W:Orthogonal group|group]] of rotations{{Sfn|Mamone|Pileio|Levitt|2010|loc=§4.5 Regular Convex 4-Polytopes|pp=1438-1439|ps=; the 24-cell has 1152 symmetry operations (rotations and reflections) as enumerated in Table 2, symmetry group 𝐹<sub>4</sub>.}} about a fixed point in 4-dimensional Euclidean space.{{Efn|[[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space]] may occur around a plane, as when adjacent cells are folded around their plane of intersection (by analogy to the way adjacent faces are folded around their line of intersection).{{Efn|Three dimensional [[W:Rotation (mathematics)#In Euclidean geometry|rotations]] occur around an axis line. [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|Four dimensional rotations]] may occur around a plane. So in three dimensions we may fold planes around a common line (as when folding a flat net of 6 squares up into a cube), and in four dimensions we may fold cells around a common plane (as when [[W:Tesseract#Geometry|folding a flat net of 8 cubes up into a tesseract]]). Folding around a square face is just folding around ''two'' of its orthogonal edges ''at the same time''; there is not enough space in three dimensions to do this, just as there is not enough space in two dimensions to fold around a line (only enough to fold around a point).|name=simple rotations|group=}} But in four dimensions there is yet another way in which rotations can occur, called a '''[[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Geometry of 4D rotations|double rotation]]'''. Double rotations are an emergent phenomenon in the fourth dimension and have no analogy in three dimensions: folding up square faces and folding up cubical cells are both examples of '''simple rotations''', the only kind that occur in fewer than four dimensions. In 3-dimensional rotations, the points in a line remain fixed during the rotation, while every other point moves. In 4-dimensional simple rotations, the points in a plane remain fixed during the rotation, while every other point moves. ''In 4-dimensional double rotations, a point remains fixed during rotation, and every other point moves'' (as in a 2-dimensional rotation!).{{Efn|There are (at least) two kinds of correct [[W:Four-dimensional space#Dimensional analogy|dimensional analogies]]: the usual kind between dimension ''n'' and dimension ''n'' + 1, and the much rarer and less obvious kind between dimension ''n'' and dimension ''n'' + 2. An example of the latter is that rotations in 4-space may take place around a single point, as do rotations in 2-space. Another is the [[W:n-sphere#Other relations|''n''-sphere rule]] that the ''surface area'' of the sphere embedded in ''n''+2 dimensions is exactly 2''π r'' times the ''volume'' enclosed by the sphere embedded in ''n'' dimensions, the most well-known examples being that the circumference of a circle is 2''π r'' times 1, and the surface area of the ordinary sphere is 2''π r'' times 2''r''. Coxeter cites{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=119|loc=§7.1. Dimensional Analogy|ps=: "For instance, seeing that the circumference of a circle is 2''π r'', while the surface of a sphere is 4''π r ''<sup>2</sup>, ... it is unlikely that the use of analogy, unaided by computation, would ever lead us to the correct expression [for the hyper-surface of a hyper-sphere], 2''π'' <sup>2</sup>''r'' <sup>3</sup>."}} this as an instance in which dimensional analogy can fail us as a method, but it is really our failure to recognize whether a one- or two-dimensional analogy is the appropriate method.|name=two-dimensional analogy}}|name=double rotations}}
=== The 3 Cartesian bases of the 24-cell ===
There are three distinct orientations of the tesseractic honeycomb which could be made to coincide with the 24-cell [[#Radially equilateral honeycomb|honeycomb]], depending on which of the 24-cell's three disjoint sets of 8 orthogonal vertices (which set of 4 perpendicular axes, or equivalently, which inscribed basis 16-cell){{Efn|name=three basis 16-cells}} was chosen to align it, just as three tesseracts can be inscribed in the 24-cell, rotated with respect to each other.{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}} The distance from one of these orientations to another is an [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]] through 60 degrees (a [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Double rotations|double rotation]] of 60 degrees in each pair of completely orthogonal invariant planes, around a single fixed point).{{Efn|name=Clifford displacement}} This rotation can be seen most clearly in the hexagonal central planes, where every hexagon rotates to change which of its three diameters is aligned with a coordinate system axis.{{Efn|name=non-orthogonal hexagons|group=}}
=== Planes of rotation ===
[[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space]] can be seen as the composition of two 2-dimensional rotations in completely orthogonal planes.{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|p=6|loc=§5. Four-Dimensional Rotations}} Thus the general rotation in 4-space is a ''double rotation''.{{Sfn|Perez-Gracia|Thomas|2017|loc=§7. Conclusions|ps=; "Rotations in three dimensions are determined by a rotation axis and the rotation angle about it, where the rotation axis is perpendicular to the plane in which points are being rotated. The situation in four dimensions is more complicated. In this case, rotations are determined by two orthogonal planes
and two angles, one for each plane. Cayley proved that a general 4D rotation can always be decomposed into two 4D rotations, each of them being determined by two equal rotation angles up to a sign change."}} There are two important special cases, called a ''simple rotation'' and an ''isoclinic rotation''.{{Efn|A [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|rotation in 4-space]] is completely characterized by choosing an invariant plane and an angle and direction (left or right) through which it rotates, and another angle and direction through which its one completely orthogonal invariant plane rotates. Two rotational displacements are identical if they have the same pair of invariant planes of rotation, through the same angles in the same directions (and hence also the same chiral pairing of directions). Thus the general rotation in 4-space is a '''double rotation''', characterized by ''two'' angles. A '''simple rotation''' is a special case in which one rotational angle is 0.{{Efn|Any double rotation (including an isoclinic rotation) can be seen as the composition of two simple rotations ''a'' and ''b'': the ''left'' double rotation as ''a'' then ''b'', and the ''right'' double rotation as ''b'' then ''a''. Simple rotations are not commutative; left and right rotations (in general) reach different destinations. The difference between a double rotation and its two composing simple rotations is that the double rotation is 4-dimensionally diagonal: each moving vertex reaches its destination ''directly'' without passing through the intermediate point touched by ''a'' then ''b'', or the other intermediate point touched by ''b'' then ''a'', by rotating on a single helical geodesic (so it is the shortest path).{{Efn|name=helical geodesic}} Conversely, any simple rotation can be seen as the composition of two ''equal-angled'' double rotations (a left isoclinic rotation and a right isoclinic rotation),{{Efn|name=one true circle}} as discovered by [[W:Arthur Cayley|Cayley]]; perhaps surprisingly, this composition ''is'' commutative, and is possible for any double rotation as well.{{Sfn|Perez-Gracia|Thomas|2017}}|name=double rotation}} An '''isoclinic rotation''' is a different special case,{{Efn|name=Clifford displacement}} similar but not identical to two simple rotations through the ''same'' angle.{{Efn|name=plane movement in rotations}}|name=identical rotations}}
==== Simple rotations ====
[[Image:24-cell.gif|thumb|A 3D projection of a 24-cell performing a [[W:SO(4)#Geometry of 4D rotations|simple rotation]].{{Sfn|Hise|2011|ps=; Illustration created by Jason Hise with Maya and Macromedia Fireworks.}}]]In 3 dimensions a spinning polyhedron has a single invariant central ''plane of rotation''. The plane is an [[W:Invariant set|invariant set]] because each point in the plane moves in a circle but stays within the plane. Only ''one'' of a polyhedron's central planes can be invariant during a particular rotation; the choice of invariant central plane, and the angular distance and direction it is rotated, completely specifies the rotation. Points outside the invariant plane also move in circles (unless they are on the fixed ''axis of rotation'' perpendicular to the invariant plane), but the circles do not lie within a [[#Geodesics|''central'' plane]].
When a 4-polytope is rotating with only one invariant central plane, the same kind of [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Simple rotations|simple rotation]] is happening that occurs in 3 dimensions. One difference is that instead of a fixed axis of rotation, there is an entire fixed central plane in which the points do not move. The fixed plane is the one central plane that is [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]]{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}} to the invariant plane of rotation. In the 24-cell, there is a simple rotation which will take any vertex ''directly'' to any other vertex, also moving most of the other vertices but leaving at least 2 and at most 6 other vertices fixed (the vertices that the fixed central plane intersects). The vertex moves along a great circle in the invariant plane of rotation between adjacent vertices of a great hexagon, a great square or a great [[W:Digon|digon]], and the completely orthogonal fixed plane is a digon, a square or a hexagon, respectively.{{Efn|In the 24-cell each great square plane is [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] to another great square plane, and each great hexagon plane is completely orthogonal to a plane which intersects only two antipodal vertices: a great [[W:Digon|digon]] plane.|name=pairs of completely orthogonal planes}}
==== Double rotations ====
[[Image:24-cell-orig.gif|thumb|A 3D projection of a 24-cell performing a [[W:SO(4)#Geometry of 4D rotations|double rotation]].{{Sfn|Hise|2007|ps=; Illustration created by Jason Hise with Maya and Macromedia Fireworks.}}]]The points in the completely orthogonal central plane are not ''constrained'' to be fixed. It is also possible for them to be rotating in circles, as a second invariant plane, at a rate independent of the first invariant plane's rotation: a [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Double rotations|double rotation]] in two perpendicular non-intersecting planes{{Efn|name=how planes intersect at a single point}} of rotation at once.{{Efn|name=double rotation}} In a double rotation there is no fixed plane or axis: every point moves except the center point. The angular distance rotated may be different in the two completely orthogonal central planes, but they are always both invariant: their circularly moving points remain within the plane ''as the whole plane tilts sideways'' in the completely orthogonal rotation. A rotation in 4-space always has (at least) ''two'' completely orthogonal invariant planes of rotation, although in a simple rotation the angle of rotation in one of them is 0.
Double rotations come in two [[W:Chiral|chiral]] forms: ''left'' and ''right'' rotations.{{Efn|The adjectives ''left'' and ''right'' are commonly used in two different senses, to distinguish two distinct kinds of pairing. They can refer to alternate directions: the hand on the left side of the body, versus the hand on the right side. Or they can refer to a [[W:Chiral|chiral]] pair of enantiomorphous objects: a left hand is the mirror image of a right hand (like an inside-out glove). In the case of hands the sense intended is rarely ambiguous, because of course the hand on your left side ''is'' the mirror image of the hand on your right side: a hand is either left ''or'' right in both senses. But in the case of double-rotating 4-dimensional objects, only one sense of left versus right properly applies: the enantiomorphous sense, in which the left and right rotation are inside-out mirror images of each other. There ''are'' two directions, which we may call positive and negative, in which moving vertices may be circling on their isoclines, but it would be ambiguous to label those circular directions "right" and "left", since a rotation's direction and its chirality are independent properties: a right (or left) rotation may be circling in either the positive or negative direction. The left rotation is not rotating "to the left", the right rotation is not rotating "to the right", and unlike your left and right hands, double rotations do not lie on the left or right side of the 4-polytope. If double rotations must be analogized to left and right hands, they are better thought of as a pair of clasped hands, centered on the body, because of course they have a common center.|name=clasped hands}} In a double rotation each vertex moves in a spiral along two orthogonal great circles at once.{{Efn|In a double rotation each vertex can be said to move along two completely orthogonal great circles at the same time, but it does not stay within the central plane of either of those original great circles; rather, it moves along a helical geodesic that traverses diagonally between great circles. The two completely orthogonal planes of rotation are said to be ''invariant'' because the points in each stay in their places in the plane ''as the plane moves'', rotating ''and'' tilting sideways by the angle that the ''other'' plane rotates.|name=helical geodesic}} Either the path is right-hand [[W:Screw thread#Handedness|threaded]] (like most screws and bolts), moving along the circles in the "same" directions, or it is left-hand threaded (like a reverse-threaded bolt), moving along the circles in what we conventionally say are "opposite" directions (according to the [[W:Right hand rule|right hand rule]] by which we conventionally say which way is "up" on each of the 4 coordinate axes).{{Sfn|Perez-Gracia|Thomas|2017|loc=§5. A useful mapping|pp=12−13}}
In double rotations of the 24-cell that take vertices to vertices, one invariant plane of rotation contains either a great hexagon, a great square, or only an axis (two vertices, a great digon). The completely orthogonal invariant plane of rotation will necessarily contain a great digon, a great square, or a great hexagon, respectively. The selection of an invariant plane of rotation, a rotational direction and angle through which to rotate it, and a rotational direction and angle through which to rotate its completely orthogonal plane, completely determines the nature of the rotational displacement. In the 24-cell there are several noteworthy kinds of double rotation permitted by these parameters.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1995|loc=(Paper 3) ''Two aspects of the regular 24-cell in four dimensions''|pp=30-32|ps=; §3. The Dodecagonal Aspect;{{Efn|name=Petrie dodecagram and Clifford hexagram}} Coxeter considers the 150°/30° double rotation of period 12 which locates 12 of the 225 distinct 24-cells inscribed in the [[120-cell]], a regular 4-polytope with 120 dodecahedral cells that is the convex hull of the compound of 25 disjoint 24-cells.}}
==== Isoclinic rotations ====
When the angles of rotation in the two completely orthogonal invariant planes are exactly the same, a [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Special property of SO(4) among rotation groups in general|remarkably symmetric]] [[W:Geometric transformation|transformation]] occurs:{{Sfn|Perez-Gracia|Thomas|2017|loc=§2. Isoclinic rotations|pp=2−3}} all the great circle planes Clifford parallel{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} to the pair of invariant planes become pairs of invariant planes of rotation themselves, through that same angle, and the 4-polytope rotates [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinically]] in many directions at once.{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|loc=§6. Angles between two Planes in 4-Space|pp=7-10}} Each vertex moves an equal distance in four orthogonal directions at the same time.{{Efn|In an [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]], each point anywhere in the 4-polytope moves an equal distance in four orthogonal directions at once, on a [[W:8-cell#Radial equilateral symmetry|4-dimensional diagonal]]. The point is displaced a total [[W:Pythagorean distance|Pythagorean distance]] equal to the square root of four times the square of that distance. (In the 4-dimensional case, the orthogonal distance equals half the total Pythagorean distance.) All vertices are displaced to a vertex more than one edge length away.{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}} For example, when the unit-radius 24-cell rotates isoclinically 60° in a hexagon invariant plane and 60° in its completely orthogonal invariant plane,{{Efn|name=pairs of completely orthogonal planes}} each vertex is displaced to another vertex {{radic|3}} (120°) away, moving {{radic|3/4}} ≈ 0.866 (half the {{radic|3}} chord length) in four orthogonal directions.{{Efn|{{radic|3/4}} ≈ 0.866 is the long radius of the {{radic|2}}-edge regular tetrahedron (the unit-radius 16-cell's cell). Those four tetrahedron radii are not orthogonal, and they radiate symmetrically compressed into 3 dimensions (not 4). The four orthogonal {{radic|3/4}} ≈ 0.866 displacements summing to a 120° degree displacement in the 24-cell's characteristic isoclinic rotation{{Efn|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} are not as easy to visualize as radii, but they can be imagined as successive orthogonal steps in a path extending in all 4 dimensions, along the orthogonal edges of a [[5-cell#Orthoschemes|4-orthoscheme]]. In an actual left (or right) isoclinic rotation the four orthogonal {{radic|3/4}} ≈ 0.866 steps of each 120° displacement are concurrent, not successive, so they ''are'' actually symmetrical radii in 4 dimensions. In fact they are four orthogonal [[#Characteristic orthoscheme|mid-edge radii of a unit-radius 24-cell]] centered at the rotating vertex. Finally, in 2 dimensional units, {{radic|3/4}} ≈ 0.866 is the area of the equilateral triangle face of the unit-edge, unit-radius 24-cell. The area of the radial equilateral triangles in a unit-radius radially equilateral polytope is {{radic|3/4}} ≈ 0.866.|name=root 3/4}}|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} In the 24-cell any isoclinic rotation through 60 degrees in a hexagonal plane takes each vertex to a vertex two edge lengths away, rotates ''all 16'' hexagons by 60 degrees, and takes ''every'' great circle polygon (square,{{Efn|In the [[16-cell#Rotations|16-cell]] the 6 orthogonal great squares form 3 pairs of completely orthogonal great circles; each pair is Clifford parallel. In the 24-cell, the 3 inscribed 16-cells lie rotated 60 degrees isoclinically{{Efn|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} with respect to each other; consequently their corresponding vertices are 120 degrees apart on a hexagonal great circle. Pairing their vertices which are 90 degrees apart reveals corresponding square great circles which are Clifford parallel. Each of the 18 square great circles is Clifford parallel not only to one other square great circle in the same 16-cell (the completely orthogonal one), but also to two square great circles (which are completely orthogonal to each other) in each of the other two 16-cells. (Completely orthogonal great circles are Clifford parallel, but not all Clifford parallels are orthogonal.{{Efn|name=only some Clifford parallels are orthogonal}}) A 60 degree isoclinic rotation of the 24-cell in hexagonal invariant planes takes each square great circle to a Clifford parallel (but non-orthogonal) square great circle in a different 16-cell.|name=Clifford parallel squares in the 16-cell and 24-cell}} hexagon or triangle) to a Clifford parallel great circle polygon of the same kind 120 degrees away. An isoclinic rotation is also called a ''Clifford displacement'', after its [[W:William Kingdon Clifford|discoverer]].{{Efn|In a ''[[W:William Kingdon Clifford|Clifford]] displacement'', also known as an [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]], all the Clifford parallel{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} invariant planes are displaced in four orthogonal directions at once: they are rotated by the same angle, and at the same time they are tilted ''sideways'' by that same angle in the completely orthogonal rotation.{{Efn|name=one true circle}} A [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Isoclinic rotations|Clifford displacement]] is [[W:8-cell#Radial equilateral symmetry|4-dimensionally diagonal]].{{Efn|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} Every plane that is Clifford parallel to one of the completely orthogonal planes (including in this case an entire Clifford parallel bundle of 4 hexagons, but not all 16 hexagons) is invariant under the isoclinic rotation: all the points in the plane rotate in circles but remain in the plane, even as the whole plane tilts sideways.{{Efn|name=plane movement in rotations}} All 16 hexagons rotate by the same angle (though only 4 of them do so invariantly). All 16 hexagons are rotated by 60 degrees, and also displaced sideways by 60 degrees to a Clifford parallel hexagon 120 degrees away. All of the other central polygons (e.g. squares) are also displaced to a Clifford parallel polygon 120 degrees away.|name=Clifford displacement}}
The 24-cell in the ''double'' rotation animation appears to turn itself inside out.{{Efn|That a double rotation can turn a 4-polytope inside out is even more noticeable in the [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Double rotations|tesseract double rotation]].}} It appears to, because it actually does, reversing the [[W:Chirality|chirality]] of the whole 4-polytope just the way your bathroom mirror reverses the chirality of your image by a 180 degree reflection. Each 360 degree isoclinic rotation is as if the 24-cell surface had been stripped off like a glove and turned inside out, making a right-hand glove into a left-hand glove (or vice versa).{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=141|loc=§7.x. Historical remarks|ps=; "[[W:August Ferdinand Möbius|Möbius]] realized, as early as 1827, that a four-dimensional rotation would be required to bring two enantiomorphous solids into coincidence. This idea was neatly deployed by [[W:H. G. Wells|H. G. Wells]] in ''The Plattner Story''."}}
In a simple rotation of the 24-cell in a hexagonal plane, each vertex in the plane rotates first along an edge to an adjacent vertex 60 degrees away. But in an isoclinic rotation in ''two'' completely orthogonal planes one of which is a great hexagon,{{Efn|name=pairs of completely orthogonal planes}} each vertex rotates first to a vertex ''two'' edge lengths away ({{radic|3}} and 120° distant). The double 60-degree rotation's helical geodesics pass through every other vertex, missing the vertices in between.{{Efn|In an isoclinic rotation vertices move diagonally, like the [[W:bishop (chess)|bishop]]s in [[W:Chess|chess]]. Vertices in an isoclinic rotation ''cannot'' reach their orthogonally nearest neighbor vertices{{Efn|name=8 nearest vertices}} by double-rotating directly toward them (and also orthogonally to that direction), because that double rotation takes them diagonally between their nearest vertices, missing them, to a vertex farther away in a larger-radius surrounding shell of vertices,{{Efn|name=nearest isoclinic vertices are {{radic|3}} away in third surrounding shell}} the way bishops are confined to the white or black squares of the [[W:Chessboard|chessboard]] and cannot reach squares of the opposite color, even those immediately adjacent.{{Efn|Isoclinic rotations{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} partition the 24 cells (and the 24 vertices) of the 24-cell into two disjoint subsets of 12 cells (and 12 vertices), even and odd (or black and white), which shift places among themselves, in a manner dimensionally analogous to the way the [[W:Bishop (chess)|bishops]]' diagonal moves{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}} restrict them to the black or white squares of the [[W:Chessboard|chessboard]].{{Efn|Left and right isoclinic rotations partition the 24 cells (and 24 vertices) into black and white in the same way.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=156|loc=|ps=: "...the chess-board has an n-dimensional analogue."}} The rotations of all fibrations of the same kind of great polygon use the same chessboard, which is a convention of the coordinate system based on even and odd coordinates. ''Left and right are not colors:'' in either a left (or right) rotation half the moving vertices are black, running along black isoclines through black vertices, and the other half are white vertices, also rotating among themselves.{{Efn|Chirality and even/odd parity are distinct flavors. Things which have even/odd coordinate parity are '''''black or white:''''' the squares of the [[W:Chessboard|chessboard]],{{Efn|Since it is difficult to color points and lines white, we sometimes use black and red instead of black and white. In particular, isocline chords are sometimes shown as black or red ''dashed'' lines.{{Efn|name=interior features}}|name=black and red}} '''cells''', '''vertices''' and the '''isoclines''' which connect them by isoclinic rotation.{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} Everything else is '''''black and white:''''' e.g. adjacent '''face-bonded cell pairs''', or '''edges''' and '''chords''' which are black at one end and white at the other. Things which have [[W:Chirality|chirality]] come in '''''right or left''''' enantiomorphous forms: '''[[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotations]]''' and '''chiral objects''' which include '''[[#Characteristic orthoscheme|characteristic orthoscheme]]s''', '''[[#Chiral symmetry operations|sets of Clifford parallel great polygon planes]]''',{{Efn|name=completely orthogonal Clifford parallels are special}} '''[[W:Fiber bundle|fiber bundle]]s''' of Clifford parallel circles (whether or not the circles themselves are chiral), and the chiral cell rings of tetrahedra found in the [[16-cell#Helical construction|16-cell]] and [[600-cell#Boerdijk–Coxeter helix rings|600-cell]]. Things which have '''''neither''''' an even/odd parity nor a chirality include all '''edges''' and '''faces''' (shared by black and white cells), '''[[#Geodesics|great circle polygons]]''' and their '''[[W:Hopf fibration|fibration]]s''', and non-chiral cell rings such as the 24-cell's [[24-cell#Cell rings|cell rings of octahedra]]. Some things are associated with '''''both''''' an even/odd parity and a chirality: '''isoclines''' are black or white because they connect vertices which are all of the same color, and they ''act'' as left or right chiral objects when they are vertex paths in a left or right rotation, although they have no inherent chirality themselves. Each left (or right) rotation traverses an equal number of black and white isoclines.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}}|name=left-right versus black-white}}|name=isoclinic chessboard}}|name=black and white}} Things moving diagonally move farther than 1 unit of distance in each movement step ({{radic|2}} on the chessboard, {{radic|3}} in the 24-cell), but at the cost of ''missing'' half the destinations.{{Efn|name=one true circle}} However, in an isoclinic rotation of a rigid body all the vertices rotate at once, so every destination ''will'' be reached by some vertex. Moreover, there is another isoclinic rotation in hexagon invariant planes which does take each vertex to an adjacent (nearest) vertex. A 24-cell can displace each vertex to a vertex 60° away (a nearest vertex) by rotating isoclinically by 30° in two completely orthogonal invariant planes (one of them a hexagon), ''not'' by double-rotating directly toward the nearest vertex (and also orthogonally to that direction), but instead by double-rotating directly toward a more distant vertex (and also orthogonally to that direction). This helical 30° isoclinic rotation takes the vertex 60° to its nearest-neighbor vertex by a ''different path'' than a simple 60° rotation would. The path along the helical isocline and the path along the simple great circle have the same 60° arc-length, but they consist of disjoint sets of points (except for their endpoints, the two vertices). They are both geodesic (shortest) arcs, but on two alternate kinds of geodesic circle. One is doubly curved (through all four dimensions), and one is simply curved (lying in a two-dimensional plane).|name=missing the nearest vertices}} Each {{radic|3}} chord of the helical geodesic{{Efn|Although adjacent vertices on the isoclinic geodesic are a {{radic|3}} chord apart, a point on a rigid body under rotation does not travel along a chord: it moves along an arc between the two endpoints of the chord (a longer distance). In a ''simple'' rotation between two vertices {{radic|3}} apart, the vertex moves along the arc of a hexagonal great circle to a vertex two great hexagon edges away, and passes through the intervening hexagon vertex midway. But in an ''isoclinic'' rotation between two vertices {{radic|3}} apart the vertex moves along a helical arc called an isocline (not a planar great circle),{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} which does ''not'' pass through an intervening vertex: it misses the vertex nearest to its midpoint.{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}}|name=isocline misses vertex}} crosses between two Clifford parallel hexagon central planes, and lies in another hexagon central plane that intersects them both.{{Efn|Departing from any vertex V<sub>0</sub> in the original great hexagon plane of isoclinic rotation P<sub>0</sub>, the first vertex reached V<sub>1</sub> is 120 degrees away along a {{radic|3}} chord lying in a different hexagonal plane P<sub>1</sub>. P<sub>1</sub> is inclined to P<sub>0</sub> at a 60° angle.{{Efn|P<sub>0</sub> and P<sub>1</sub> lie in the same hyperplane (the same central cuboctahedron) so their other angle of separation is 0.{{Efn|name=two angles between central planes}}}} The second vertex reached V<sub>2</sub> is 120 degrees beyond V<sub>1</sub> along a second {{radic|3}} chord lying in another hexagonal plane P<sub>2</sub> that is Clifford parallel to P<sub>0</sub>.{{Efn|P<sub>0</sub> and P<sub>2</sub> are 60° apart in ''both'' angles of separation.{{Efn|name=two angles between central planes}} Clifford parallel planes are isoclinic (which means they are separated by two equal angles), and their corresponding vertices are all the same distance apart. Although V<sub>0</sub> and V<sub>2</sub> are ''two'' {{radic|3}} chords apart,{{Efn|V<sub>0</sub> and V<sub>2</sub> are two {{radic|3}} chords apart on the geodesic path of this rotational isocline, but that is not the shortest geodesic path between them. In the 24-cell, it is impossible for two vertices to be more distant than ''one'' {{radic|3}} chord, unless they are antipodal vertices {{radic|4}} apart.{{Efn|name=Geodesic distance}} V<sub>0</sub> and V<sub>2</sub> are ''one'' {{radic|3}} chord apart on some other isocline, and just {{radic|1}} apart on some great hexagon. Between V<sub>0</sub> and V<sub>2</sub>, the isoclinic rotation has gone the long way around the 24-cell over two {{radic|3}} chords to reach a vertex that was only {{radic|1}} away. More generally, isoclines are geodesics because the distance between their successive vertices is the shortest distance between those two vertices in some rotation connecting them, but on the 3-sphere there may be another rotation which is shorter. A path between two vertices along a geodesic is not always the shortest distance between them (even on ordinary great circle geodesics).}} P<sub>0</sub> and P<sub>2</sub> are just one {{radic|1}} edge apart (at every pair of ''nearest'' vertices).}} (Notice that V<sub>1</sub> lies in both intersecting planes P<sub>1</sub> and P<sub>2</sub>, as V<sub>0</sub> lies in both P<sub>0</sub> and P<sub>1</sub>. But P<sub>0</sub> and P<sub>2</sub> have ''no'' vertices in common; they do not intersect.) The third vertex reached V<sub>3</sub> is 120 degrees beyond V<sub>2</sub> along a third {{radic|3}} chord lying in another hexagonal plane P<sub>3</sub> that is Clifford parallel to P<sub>1</sub>. V<sub>0</sub> and V<sub>3</sub> are adjacent vertices, {{radic|1}} apart.{{Efn|name=skew hexagram}} The three {{radic|3}} chords lie in different 8-cells.{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}} V<sub>0</sub> to V<sub>3</sub> is a 360° isoclinic rotation, and one half of the 24-cell's double-loop hexagram<sub>2</sub> Clifford polygon.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}}|name=360 degree geodesic path visiting 3 hexagonal planes}} The {{radic|3}} chords meet at a 60° angle, but since they lie in different planes they form a [[W:Helix|helix]] not a [[#Great triangles|triangle]]. Three {{radic|3}} chords and 360° of rotation takes the vertex to an adjacent vertex, not back to itself. The helix of {{radic|3}} chords closes into a loop only after six {{radic|3}} chords: a 720° rotation twice around the 24-cell{{Efn|An isoclinic rotation by 60° is two simple rotations by 60° at the same time.{{Efn|The composition of two simple 60° rotations in a pair of completely orthogonal invariant planes is a 60° isoclinic rotation in ''four'' pairs of completely orthogonal invariant planes.{{Efn|name=double rotation}} Thus the isoclinic rotation is the compound of four simple rotations, and all 24 vertices rotate in invariant hexagon planes, versus just 6 vertices in a simple rotation.}} It moves all the vertices 120° at the same time, in various different directions. Six successive diagonal rotational increments, of 60°x60° each, move each vertex through 720° on a Möbius double loop called an ''isocline'', ''twice'' around the 24-cell and back to its point of origin, in the ''same time'' (six rotational units) that it would take a simple rotation to take the vertex ''once'' around the 24-cell on an ordinary great circle.{{Efn|name=double threaded}} The helical double loop 4𝝅 isocline is just another kind of ''single'' full circle, of the same time interval and period (6 chords) as the simple great circle. The isocline is ''one'' true circle,{{Efn|name=4-dimensional great circles}} as perfectly round and geodesic as the simple great circle, even through its chords are {{radic|3}} longer, its circumference is 4𝝅 instead of 2𝝅,{{Efn|All 3-sphere isoclines of the same circumference are directly or enantiomorphously congruent circles.{{Efn|name=not all isoclines are circles}} An ordinary great circle is an isocline of circumference <math>2\pi r</math>; simple rotations of unit-radius polytopes take place on 2𝝅 isoclines. Double rotations may have isoclines of other than <math>2\pi r</math> circumference. The ''characteristic rotation'' of a regular 4-polytope is the isoclinic rotation in which the central planes containing its edges are invariant planes of rotation. The 16-cell and 24-cell edge-rotate on isoclines of 4𝝅 circumference. The 600-cell edge-rotates on isoclines of 5𝝅 circumference.|name=isocline circumference}} it circles through four dimensions instead of two,{{Efn|name=Villarceau circles}} and it has two chiral forms (left and right).{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}} Nevertheless, to avoid confusion we always refer to it as an ''isocline'' and reserve the term ''great circle'' for an ordinary great circle in the plane.{{Efn|name=isocline}}|name=one true circle}} on a [[W:Skew polygon#Regular skew polygons in four dimensions|skew]] [[W:Hexagram|hexagram]] with {{radic|3}} edges.{{Efn|name=skew hexagram}} Even though all 24 vertices and all the hexagons rotate at once, a 360 degree isoclinic rotation moves each vertex only halfway around its circuit. After 360 degrees each helix has departed from 3 vertices and reached a fourth vertex adjacent to the original vertex, but has ''not'' arrived back exactly at the vertex it departed from. Each central plane (every hexagon or square in the 24-cell) has rotated 360 degrees ''and'' been tilted sideways all the way around 360 degrees back to its original position (like a coin flipping twice), but the 24-cell's [[W:Orientation entanglement|orientation]] in the 4-space in which it is embedded is now different.{{Sfn|Mebius|2015|loc=Motivation|pp=2-3|ps=; "This research originated from ... the desire to construct a computer implementation of a specific motion of the human arm, known among folk dance experts as the ''Philippine wine dance'' or ''Binasuan'' and performed by physicist [[W:Richard P. Feynman|Richard P. Feynman]] during his [[W:Dirac|Dirac]] memorial lecture 1986{{Sfn|Feynman|Weinberg|1987|loc=The reason for antiparticles}} to show that a single rotation (2𝝅) is not equivalent in all respects to no rotation at all, whereas a double rotation (4𝝅) is."}} Because the 24-cell is now inside-out, if the isoclinic rotation is continued in the ''same'' direction through another 360 degrees, the 24 moving vertices will pass through the other half of the vertices that were missed on the first revolution (the 12 antipodal vertices of the 12 that were hit the first time around), and each isoclinic geodesic ''will'' arrive back at the vertex it departed from, forming a closed six-chord helical loop. It takes a 720 degree isoclinic rotation for each [[#Helical hexagrams and their isoclines|hexagram<sub>2</sub> geodesic]] to complete a circuit through every ''second'' vertex of its six vertices by [[W:Winding number|winding]] around the 24-cell twice, returning the 24-cell to its original chiral orientation.{{Efn|In a 720° isoclinic rotation of a ''rigid'' 24-cell the 24 vertices rotate along four separate Clifford parallel hexagram<sub>2</sub> geodesic loops (six vertices circling in each loop) and return to their original positions.{{Efn|name=Villarceau circles}}}}
The hexagonal winding path that each vertex takes as it loops twice around the 24-cell forms a double helix bent into a [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius ring]], so that the two strands of the double helix form a continuous single strand in a closed loop.{{Efn|Because the 24-cell's helical hexagram<sub>2</sub> geodesic is bent into a twisted ring in the fourth dimension like a [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius strip]], its [[W:Screw thread|screw thread]] doubles back across itself in each revolution, reversing its chirality{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}} but without ever changing its even/odd parity of rotation (black or white).{{Efn|name=black and white}} The 6-vertex isoclinic path forms a Möbius double loop, like a 3-dimensional double helix with the ends of its two parallel 3-vertex helices cross-connected to each other. This 60° isocline{{Efn|A strip of paper can form a [[W:Möbius strip#Polyhedral surfaces and flat foldings|flattened Möbius strip]] in the plane by folding it at <math>60^\circ</math> angles so that its center line lies along an equilateral triangle, and attaching the ends. The shortest strip for which this is possible consists of three equilateral paper triangles, folded at the edges where two triangles meet. Since the loop traverses both sides of each paper triangle, it is a hexagonal loop over six equilateral triangles. Its [[W:Aspect ratio|aspect ratio]]{{snd}}the ratio of the strip's length{{efn|The length of a strip can be measured at its centerline, or by cutting the resulting Möbius strip perpendicularly to its boundary so that it forms a rectangle.}} to its width{{snd}}is {{nowrap|<math>\sqrt 3\approx 1.73</math>.}}}} is a [[W:Skew polygon|skewed]] instance of the [[W:Polygram (geometry)#Regular compound polygons|regular compound polygon]] denoted {6/2}{{=}}2{3} or hexagram<sub>2</sub>.{{Efn|name=skew hexagram}} Successive {{radic|3}} edges belong to different [[#8-cell|8-cells]], as the 720° isoclinic rotation takes each hexagon through all six hexagons in the [[#6-cell rings|6-cell ring]], and each 8-cell through all three 8-cells twice.{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}}|name=double threaded}} In the first revolution the vertex traverses one 3-chord strand of the double helix; in the second revolution it traverses the second 3-chord strand, moving in the same rotational direction with the same handedness (bending either left or right) throughout. Although this isoclinic Möbius [[#6-cell rings|ring]] is a circular spiral through all 4 dimensions, not a 2-dimensional circle, like a great circle it is a geodesic because it is the shortest path from vertex to vertex.{{Efn|A point under isoclinic rotation traverses the diagonal{{Efn|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} straight line of a single '''isoclinic geodesic''', reaching its destination directly, instead of the bent line of two successive '''simple geodesics'''.{{Efn||name=double rotation}} A '''[[W:Geodesic|geodesic]]''' is the ''shortest path'' through a space (intuitively, a string pulled taught between two points). Simple geodesics are great circles lying in a central plane (the only kind of geodesics that occur in 3-space on the 2-sphere). Isoclinic geodesics are different: they do ''not'' lie in a single plane; they are 4-dimensional [[W:Helix|spirals]] rather than simple 2-dimensional circles.{{Efn|name=helical geodesic}} But they are not like 3-dimensional [[W:Screw threads|screw threads]] either, because they form a closed loop like any circle.{{Efn|name=double threaded}} Isoclinic geodesics are ''4-dimensional great circles'', and they are just as circular as 2-dimensional circles: in fact, twice as circular, because they curve in ''two'' orthogonal great circles at once.{{Efn|Isoclinic geodesics or ''isoclines'' are 4-dimensional great circles in the sense that they are 1-dimensional geodesic ''lines'' that curve in 4-space in two orthogonal great circles at once.{{Efn|name=not all isoclines are circles}} They should not be confused with ''great 2-spheres'',{{Sfn|Stillwell|2001|p=24}} which are the 4-dimensional analogues of great circles (great 1-spheres).{{Efn|name=great 2-spheres}} Discrete isoclines are polygons;{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}} discrete great 2-spheres are polyhedra.|name=4-dimensional great circles}} They are true circles,{{Efn|name=one true circle}} and even form [[W:Hopf fibration|fibrations]] like ordinary 2-dimensional great circles.{{Efn|name=hexagonal fibrations}}{{Efn|name=square fibrations}} These '''isoclines''' are geodesic 1-dimensional lines embedded in a 4-dimensional space. On the 3-sphere{{Efn|All isoclines are [[W:Geodesics|geodesics]], and isoclines on the [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]] are circles (curving equally in each dimension), but not all isoclines on 3-manifolds in 4-space are circles.|name=not all isoclines are circles}} they always occur in pairs{{Efn|Isoclines on the 3-sphere occur in non-intersecting pairs of even/odd coordinate parity.{{Efn|name=black and white}} A single black or white isocline forms a [[W:Möbius loop|Möbius loop]] called the {1,1} torus knot or Villarceau circle{{Sfn|Dorst|2019|loc=§1. Villarceau Circles|p=44|ps=; "In mathematics, the path that the (1, 1) knot on the torus traces is also known as a [[W:Villarceau circle|Villarceau circle]]. Villarceau circles are usually introduced as two intersecting circles that are the cross-section of a torus by a well-chosen plane cutting it. Picking one such circle and rotating it around the torus axis, the resulting family of circles can be used to rule the torus. By nesting tori smartly, the collection of all such circles then form a [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]].... we prefer to consider the Villarceau circle as the (1, 1) torus knot rather than as a planar cut."}} in which each of two "circles" linked in a Möbius "figure eight" loop traverses through all four dimensions.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}} The double loop is a true circle in four dimensions.{{Efn|name=one true circle}} Even and odd isoclines are also linked, not in a Möbius loop but as a [[W:Hopf link|Hopf link]] of two non-intersecting circles,{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} as are all the Clifford parallel isoclines of a [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fiber bundle]].|name=Villarceau circles}} as [[W:Villarceau circle|Villarceau circle]]s on the [[W:Clifford torus|Clifford torus]], the geodesic paths traversed by vertices in an [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Double rotations|isoclinic rotation]]. They are [[W:Helix|helices]] bent into a [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius loop]] in the fourth dimension, taking a diagonal [[W:Winding number|winding route]] around the 3-sphere through the non-adjacent vertices{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}} of a 4-polytope's [[W:Skew polygon#Regular skew polygons in four dimensions|skew]] '''Clifford polygon'''.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}}|name=isoclinic geodesic}}
=== Clifford parallel polytopes ===
Two planes are also called ''isoclinic'' if an isoclinic rotation will bring them together.{{Efn|name=two angles between central planes}} The isoclinic planes are precisely those central planes with Clifford parallel geodesic great circles.{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|loc=Relations to Clifford parallelism|pp=8-9}} Clifford parallel great circles do not intersect,{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} so isoclinic great circle polygons have disjoint vertices. In the 24-cell every hexagonal central plane is isoclinic to three others, and every square central plane is isoclinic to five others. We can pick out 4 mutually isoclinic (Clifford parallel) great hexagons (four different ways) covering all 24 vertices of the 24-cell just once (a hexagonal fibration).{{Efn|The 24-cell has four sets of 4 non-intersecting [[W:Clifford parallel|Clifford parallel]]{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} great circles each passing through 6 vertices (a great hexagon), with only one great hexagon in each set passing through each vertex, and the 4 hexagons in each set reaching all 24 vertices.{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}} Each set constitutes a discrete [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]] of interlocking great circles. The 24-cell can also be divided (eight different ways) into 4 disjoint subsets of 6 vertices (hexagrams) that do ''not'' lie in a hexagonal central plane, each skew [[#Helical hexagrams and their isoclines|hexagram forming an isoclinic geodesic or ''isocline'']] that is the rotational circle traversed by those 6 vertices in one particular left or right [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]]. Each of these sets of four Clifford parallel isoclines belongs to one of the four discrete Hopf fibrations of hexagonal great circles.{{Efn|Each set of [[W:Clifford parallel|Clifford parallel]] [[#Geodesics|great circle]] polygons is a different bundle of fibers than the corresponding set of Clifford parallel isocline{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} polygrams, but the two [[W:Fiber bundles|fiber bundles]] together constitute the ''same'' discrete [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]], because they enumerate the 24 vertices together by their intersection in the same distinct (left or right) isoclinic rotation. They are the [[W:Warp and woof|warp and woof]] of the same woven fabric that is the fibration.|name=great circles and isoclines are same fibration|name=warp and woof}}|name=hexagonal fibrations}} We can pick out 6 mutually isoclinic (Clifford parallel) great squares{{Efn|Each great square plane is isoclinic (Clifford parallel) to five other square planes but [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]] to only one of them.{{Efn|name=Clifford parallel squares in the 16-cell and 24-cell}} Every pair of completely orthogonal planes has Clifford parallel great circles, but not all Clifford parallel great circles are orthogonal (e.g., none of the hexagonal geodesics in the 24-cell are mutually orthogonal). There is also another way in which completely orthogonal planes are in a distinguished category of Clifford parallel planes: they are not [[W:Chiral|chiral]], or strictly speaking they possess both chiralities. A pair of isoclinic (Clifford parallel) planes is either a ''left pair'' or a ''right pair'', unless they are separated by two angles of 90° (completely orthogonal planes) or 0° (coincident planes).{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|p=8|loc=Left and Right Pairs of Isoclinic Planes}} Most isoclinic planes are brought together only by a left isoclinic rotation or a right isoclinic rotation, respectively. Completely orthogonal planes are special: the pair of planes is both a left and a right pair, so either a left or a right isoclinic rotation will bring them together. This occurs because isoclinic square planes are 180° apart at all vertex pairs: not just Clifford parallel but completely orthogonal. The isoclines (chiral vertex paths){{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} of 90° isoclinic rotations are special for the same reason. Left and right isoclines loop through the same set of antipodal vertices (hitting both ends of each [[16-cell#Helical construction|16-cell axis]]), instead of looping through disjoint left and right subsets of black or white antipodal vertices (hitting just one end of each axis), as the left and right isoclines of all other fibrations do.|name=completely orthogonal Clifford parallels are special}} (three different ways) covering all 24 vertices of the 24-cell just once (a square fibration).{{Efn|The 24-cell has three sets of 6 non-intersecting Clifford parallel great circles each passing through 4 vertices (a great square), with only one great square in each set passing through each vertex, and the 6 squares in each set reaching all 24 vertices.{{Efn|name=three square fibrations}} Each set constitutes a discrete [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]] of 6 interlocking great squares, which is simply the compound of the three inscribed 16-cell's discrete Hopf fibrations of 2 interlocking great squares. The 24-cell can also be divided (six different ways) into 3 disjoint subsets of 8 vertices (octagrams) that do ''not'' lie in a square central plane, but comprise a 16-cell and lie on a skew [[#Helical octagrams and thei isoclines|octagram<sub>3</sub> forming an isoclinic geodesic or ''isocline'']] that is the rotational cirle traversed by those 8 vertices in one particular left or right [[16-cell#Rotations|isoclinic rotation]] as they rotate positions within the 16-cell.{{Efn|name=warp and woof}}|name=square fibrations}} Every isoclinic rotation taking vertices to vertices corresponds to a discrete fibration.{{Efn|name=fibrations are distinguished only by rotations}}
Two dimensional great circle polygons are not the only polytopes in the 24-cell which are parallel in the Clifford sense.{{Sfn|Tyrrell|Semple|1971|pp=1-9|loc=§1. Introduction}} Congruent polytopes of 2, 3 or 4 dimensions can be said to be Clifford parallel in 4 dimensions if their corresponding vertices are all the same distance apart. The three 16-cells inscribed in the 24-cell are Clifford parallels. Clifford parallel polytopes are ''completely disjoint'' polytopes.{{Efn|Polytopes are '''completely disjoint''' if all their ''element sets'' are disjoint: they do not share any vertices, edges, faces or cells. They may still overlap in space, sharing 4-content, volume, area, or linage.|name=completely disjoint}} A 60 degree isoclinic rotation in hexagonal planes takes each 16-cell to a disjoint 16-cell. Like all [[#Double rotations|double rotations]], isoclinic rotations come in two [[W:Chiral|chiral]] forms: there is a disjoint 16-cell to the ''left'' of each 16-cell, and another to its ''right''.{{Efn|Visualize the three [[16-cell]]s inscribed in the 24-cell (left, right, and middle), and the rotation which takes them to each other. [[#Reciprocal constructions from 8-cell and 16-cell|The vertices of the middle 16-cell lie on the (w, x, y, z) coordinate axes]];{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}} the other two are rotated 60° [[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinically]] to its left and its right. The 24-vertex 24-cell is a compound of three 16-cells, whose three sets of 8 vertices are distributed around the 24-cell symmetrically; each vertex is surrounded by 8 others (in the 3-dimensional space of the 4-dimensional 24-cell's ''surface''), the way the vertices of a cube surround its center.{{Efn|name=24-cell vertex figure}} The 8 surrounding vertices (the cube corners) lie in other 16-cells: 4 in the other 16-cell to the left, and 4 in the other 16-cell to the right. They are the vertices of two tetrahedra inscribed in the cube, one belonging (as a cell) to each 16-cell. If the 16-cell edges are {{radic|2}}, each vertex of the compound of three 16-cells is {{radic|1}} away from its 8 surrounding vertices in other 16-cells. Now visualize those {{radic|1}} distances as the edges of the 24-cell (while continuing to visualize the disjoint 16-cells). The {{radic|1}} edges form great hexagons of 6 vertices which run around the 24-cell in a central plane. ''Four'' hexagons cross at each vertex (and its antipodal vertex), inclined at 60° to each other.{{Efn|name=cuboctahedral hexagons}} The [[#Great hexagons|hexagons]] are not perpendicular to each other, or to the 16-cells' perpendicular [[#Great squares|square central planes]].{{Efn|name=non-orthogonal hexagons}} The left and right 16-cells form a tesseract.{{Efn|Each pair of the three 16-cells inscribed in the 24-cell forms a 4-dimensional [[W:Tesseract|hypercube (a tesseract or 8-cell)]], in [[#Relationships among interior polytopes|dimensional analogy]] to the way two tetrahedra form a cube: the two 8-vertex 16-cells are inscribed in the 16-vertex tesseract, occupying its alternate vertices. The third 16-cell does not lie within the tesseract; its 8 vertices protrude from the sides of the tesseract, forming a cubic pyramid on each of the tesseract's cubic cells (as in [[#Reciprocal constructions from 8-cell and 16-cell|Gosset's construction of the 24-cell]]). The three pairs of 16-cells form three tesseracts.{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}} The tesseracts share vertices, but the 16-cells are completely disjoint.{{Efn|name=completely disjoint}}|name=three 16-cells form three tesseracts}} Two 16-cells have vertex-pairs which are one {{radic|1}} edge (one hexagon edge) apart. But a [[#Simple rotations|''simple'' rotation]] of 60° will not take one whole 16-cell to another 16-cell, because their vertices are 60° apart in different directions, and a simple rotation has only one hexagonal plane of rotation. One 16-cell ''can'' be taken to another 16-cell by a 60° [[#Isoclinic rotations|''isoclinic'' rotation]], because an isoclinic rotation is [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]] symmetric: four [[#Clifford parallel polytopes|Clifford parallel hexagonal planes]] rotate together, but in four different rotational directions,{{Efn|name=Clifford displacement}} taking each 16-cell to another 16-cell. But since an isoclinic 60° rotation is a ''diagonal'' rotation by 60° in ''two'' orthogonal great circles at once,{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} the corresponding vertices of the 16-cell and the 16-cell it is taken to are 120° apart: ''two'' {{radic|1}} hexagon edges (or one {{radic|3}} hexagon chord) apart, not one {{radic|1}} edge (60°) apart.{{Efn|name=isoclinic 4-dimensional diagonal}} By the [[W:Chiral|chiral]] diagonal nature of isoclinic rotations, the 16-cell ''cannot'' reach the adjacent 16-cell (whose vertices are one {{radic|1}} edge away) by rotating toward it;{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}} it can only reach the 16-cell ''beyond'' it (120° away). But of course, the 16-cell beyond the 16-cell to its right is the 16-cell to its left. So a 60° isoclinic rotation ''will'' take every 16-cell to another 16-cell: a 60° ''right'' isoclinic rotation will take the middle 16-cell to the 16-cell we may have originally visualized as the ''left'' 16-cell, and a 60° ''left'' isoclinic rotation will take the middle 16-cell to the 16-cell we visualized as the ''right'' 16-cell. If so, that was not an error in our visualization; there are two chiral images we can ascribe to the 24-cell, from mirror-image viewpoints which turn the 24-cell inside-out. But from either viewpoint, the 16-cell to the "left" is the one reached by the left isoclinic rotation, as that is the only [[#Double rotations|sense in which the two 16-cells are left or right]] of each other.{{Efn|name=clasped hands}}|name=three isoclinic 16-cells}}
All Clifford parallel 4-polytopes are related by an isoclinic rotation,{{Efn|name=Clifford displacement}} but not all isoclinic polytopes are Clifford parallels (completely disjoint).{{Efn|All isoclinic ''planes'' are Clifford parallels (completely disjoint).{{Efn|name=completely disjoint}} Three and four dimensional cocentric objects may intersect (sharing elements) but still be related by an isoclinic rotation. Polyhedra and 4-polytopes may be isoclinic and ''not'' disjoint, if all of their corresponding planes are either Clifford parallel, or cocellular (in the same hyperplane) or coincident (the same plane).}} The three 8-cells in the 24-cell are isoclinic but not Clifford parallel. Like the 16-cells, they are rotated 60 degrees isoclinically with respect to each other, but their vertices are not all disjoint (and therefore not all equidistant). Each vertex occurs in two of the three 8-cells (as each 16-cell occurs in two of the three 8-cells).{{Efn|name=three 8-cells}}
Isoclinic rotations relate the convex regular 4-polytopes to each other. An isoclinic rotation of a single 16-cell will generate{{Efn|By ''generate'' we mean simply that some vertex of the first polytope will visit each vertex of the generated polytope in the course of the rotation.}} a 24-cell. A simple rotation of a single 16-cell will not, because its vertices will not reach either of the other two 16-cells' vertices in the course of the rotation. An isoclinic rotation of the 24-cell will generate the 600-cell, and an isoclinic rotation of the 600-cell will generate the 120-cell. (Or they can all be generated directly by an isoclinic rotation of the 16-cell, generating isoclinic copies of itself.) The different convex regular 4-polytopes nest inside each other, and multiple instances of the same 4-polytope hide next to each other in the Clifford parallel spaces that comprise the 3-sphere.{{Sfn|Tyrrell|Semple|1971|loc=Clifford Parallel Spaces and Clifford Reguli|pp=20-33}} For an object of more than one dimension, the only way to reach these parallel subspaces directly is by isoclinic rotation. Like a key operating a four-dimensional lock, an object must twist in two completely perpendicular tumbler cylinders at once in order to move the short distance between Clifford parallel subspaces.
=== Rings ===
In the 24-cell there are sets of rings of six different kinds, described separately in detail in other sections of [[24-cell|this article]]. This section describes how the different kinds of rings are [[#Relationships among interior polytopes|intertwined]].
The 24-cell contains four kinds of [[#Geodesics|geodesic fibers]] (polygonal rings running through vertices): [[#Great squares|great circle squares]] and their [[16-cell#Helical construction|isoclinic helix octagrams]],{{Efn|name=square fibrations}} and [[#Great hexagons|great circle hexagons]] and their [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic helix hexagrams]].{{Efn|name=hexagonal fibrations}} It also contains two kinds of [[24-cell#Cell rings|cell rings]] (chains of octahedra bent into a ring in the fourth dimension): four octahedra connected vertex-to-vertex and bent into a square, and six octahedra connected face-to-face and bent into a hexagon.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1970|loc=§8. The simplex, cube, cross-polytope and 24-cell|p=18|ps=; Coxeter studied cell rings in the general case of their geometry and [[W:Group theory|group theory]], identifying each cell ring as a [[W:Polytope|polytope]] in its own right which fills a three-dimensional manifold (such as the [[W:3-sphere|3-sphere]]) with its corresponding [[W:Honeycomb (geometry)|honeycomb]]. He found that cell rings follow [[W:Petrie polygon|Petrie polygon]]s{{Efn|name=Petrie dodecagram and Clifford hexagram}} and some (but not all) cell rings and their honeycombs are ''twisted'', occurring in left- and right-handed [[W:chiral|chiral]] forms. Specifically, he found that since the 24-cell's octahedral cells have opposing faces, the cell rings in the 24-cell are of the non-chiral (directly congruent) kind.{{Efn|name=6-cell ring is not chiral}} Each of the 24-cell's cell rings has its corresponding honeycomb in Euclidean (rather than hyperbolic) space, so the 24-cell tiles 4-dimensional Euclidean space by translation to form the [[W:24-cell honeycomb|24-cell honeycomb]].}}{{Sfn|Banchoff|2013|ps=, studied the decomposition of regular 4-polytopes into honeycombs of tori tiling the [[W:Clifford torus|Clifford torus]], showed how the honeycombs correspond to [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]]s, and made a particular study of the [[#6-cell rings|24-cell's 4 rings of 6 octahedral cells]] with illustrations.}}
==== 4-cell rings ====
Four unit-edge-length octahedra can be connected vertex-to-vertex along a common axis of length 4{{radic|2}}. The axis can then be bent into a square of edge length {{radic|2}}. Although it is possible to do this in a space of only three dimensions, that is not how it occurs in the 24-cell. Although the {{radic|2}} axes of the four octahedra occupy the same plane, forming one of the 18 {{radic|2}} great squares of the 24-cell, each octahedron occupies a different 3-dimensional hyperplane,{{Efn|Just as each face of a [[W:Polyhedron|polyhedron]] occupies a different (2-dimensional) face plane, each cell of a [[W:Polychoron|polychoron]] occupies a different (3-dimensional) cell [[W:Hyperplane|hyperplane]].{{Efn|name=hyperplanes}}}} and all four dimensions are utilized. The 24-cell can be partitioned into 6 such 4-cell rings (three different ways), mutually interlinked like adjacent links in a chain (but these [[W:Link (knot theory)|links]] all have a common center). An [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]] in a great square plane by a multiple of 90° takes each octahedron in the ring to an octahedron in the ring.
==== 6-cell rings ====
[[File:Six face-bonded octahedra.jpg|thumb|400px|A 4-dimensional ring of 6 face-bonded octahedra, bounded by two intersecting sets of three Clifford parallel great hexagons of different colors, cut and laid out flat in 3 dimensional space.{{Efn|name=6-cell ring}}]]Six regular octahedra can be connected face-to-face along a common axis that passes through their centers of volume, forming a stack or column with only triangular faces. In a space of four dimensions, the axis can then be bent 60° in the fourth dimension at each of the six octahedron centers, in a plane orthogonal to all three orthogonal central planes of each octahedron, such that the top and bottom triangular faces of the column become coincident. The column becomes a ring around a hexagonal axis. The 24-cell can be partitioned into 4 such rings (four different ways), mutually interlinked. Because the hexagonal axis joins cell centers (not vertices), it is not a great hexagon of the 24-cell.{{Efn|The axial hexagon of the 6-octahedron ring does not intersect any vertices or edges of the 24-cell, but it does hit faces. In a unit-edge-length 24-cell, it has edges of length 1/2.{{Efn|When unit-edge octahedra are placed face-to-face the distance between their centers of volume is {{radic|2/3}} ≈ 0.816.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=292-293|loc=Table I(i): Octahedron}} When 24 face-bonded octahedra are bent into a 24-cell lying on the 3-sphere, the centers of the octahedra are closer together in 4-space. Within the curved 3-dimensional surface space filled by the 24 cells, the cell centers are still {{radic|2/3}} apart along the curved geodesics that join them. But on the straight chords that join them, which dip inside the 3-sphere, they are only 1/2 edge length apart.}} Because it joins six cell centers, the axial hexagon is a great hexagon of the smaller dual 24-cell that is formed by joining the 24 cell centers.{{Efn|name=common core}}}} However, six great hexagons can be found in the ring of six octahedra, running along the edges of the octahedra. In the column of six octahedra (before it is bent into a ring) there are six spiral paths along edges running up the column: three parallel helices spiraling clockwise, and three parallel helices spiraling counterclockwise. Each clockwise helix intersects each counterclockwise helix at two vertices three edge lengths apart. Bending the column into a ring changes these helices into great circle hexagons.{{Efn|There is a choice of planes in which to fold the column into a ring, but they are equivalent in that they produce congruent rings. Whichever folding planes are chosen, each of the six helices joins its own two ends and forms a simple great circle hexagon. These hexagons are ''not'' helices: they lie on ordinary flat great circles. Three of them are Clifford parallel{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} and belong to one [[#Great hexagons|hexagonal]] fibration. They intersect the other three, which belong to another hexagonal fibration. The three parallel great circles of each fibration spiral around each other in the sense that they form a [[W:Link (knot theory)|link]] of three ordinary circles, but they are not twisted: the 6-cell ring has no [[W:Torsion of a curve|torsion]], either clockwise or counterclockwise.{{Efn|name=6-cell ring is not chiral}}|name=6-cell ring}} The ring has two sets of three great hexagons, each on three Clifford parallel great circles.{{Efn|The three great hexagons are Clifford parallel, which is different than ordinary parallelism.{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} Clifford parallel great hexagons pass through each other like adjacent links of a chain, forming a [[W:Hopf link|Hopf link]]. Unlike links in a 3-dimensional chain, they share the same center point. In the 24-cell, Clifford parallel great hexagons occur in sets of four, not three. The fourth parallel hexagon lies completely outside the 6-cell ring; its 6 vertices are completely disjoint from the ring's 18 vertices.}} The great hexagons in each parallel set of three do not intersect, but each intersects the other three great hexagons (to which it is not Clifford parallel) at two antipodal vertices.
A [[#Simple rotations|simple rotation]] in any of the great hexagon planes by a multiple of 60° rotates only that hexagon invariantly, taking each vertex in that hexagon to a vertex in the same hexagon. An [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]] by 60° in any of the six great hexagon planes rotates all three Clifford parallel great hexagons invariantly, and takes each octahedron in the ring to a ''non-adjacent'' octahedron in the ring.{{Efn|An isoclinic rotation by a multiple of 60° takes even-numbered octahedra in the ring to even-numbered octahedra, and odd-numbered octahedra to odd-numbered octahedra.{{Efn|In the column of 6 octahedral cells, we number the cells 0-5 going up the column. We also label each vertex with an integer 0-5 based on how many edge lengths it is up the column.}} It is impossible for an even-numbered octahedron to reach an odd-numbered octahedron, or vice versa, by a left or a right isoclinic rotation alone.{{Efn|name=black and white}}|name=black and white octahedra}}
Each isoclinically displaced octahedron is also rotated itself. After a 360° isoclinic rotation each octahedron is back in the same position, but in a different orientation. In a 720° isoclinic rotation, its vertices are returned to their original [[W:Orientation entanglement|orientation]].
Four Clifford parallel great hexagons comprise a discrete fiber bundle covering all 24 vertices in a [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]]. The 24-cell has four such [[#Great hexagons|discrete hexagonal fibrations]] <math>F_a, F_b, F_c, F_d</math>. Each great hexagon belongs to just one fibration, and the four fibrations are defined by disjoint sets of four great hexagons each.{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|loc=§8.3 Properties of the Hopf Fibration|pp=14-16|ps=; Corollary 9. Every great circle belongs to a unique right [(and left)] Hopf bundle.}} Each fibration is the domain (container) of a unique left-right pair of isoclinic rotations (left and right Hopf fiber bundles).{{Efn|The choice of a partitioning of a regular 4-polytope into cell rings (a fibration) is arbitrary, because all of its cells are identical. No particular fibration is distinguished, ''unless'' the 4-polytope is rotating. Each fibration corresponds to a left-right pair of isoclinic rotations in a particular set of Clifford parallel invariant central planes of rotation. In the 24-cell, distinguishing a hexagonal fibration{{Efn|name=hexagonal fibrations}} means choosing a cell-disjoint set of four 6-cell rings that is the unique container of a left-right pair of isoclinic rotations in four Clifford parallel hexagonal invariant planes. The left and right rotations take place in chiral subspaces of that container,{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|p=12|loc=§8 The Construction of Hopf Fibrations; 3}} but the fibration and the octahedral cell rings themselves are not chiral objects.{{Efn|name=6-cell ring is not chiral}}|name=fibrations are distinguished only by rotations}}
Four cell-disjoint 6-cell rings also comprise each discrete fibration defined by four Clifford parallel great hexagons. Each 6-cell ring contains only 18 of the 24 vertices, and only 6 of the 16 great hexagons, which we see illustrated above running along the cell ring's edges: 3 spiraling clockwise and 3 counterclockwise. Those 6 hexagons running along the cell ring's edges are not among the set of four parallel hexagons which define the fibration. For example, one of the four 6-cell rings in fibration <math>F_a</math> contains 3 parallel hexagons running clockwise along the cell ring's edges from fibration <math>F_b</math>, and 3 parallel hexagons running counterclockwise along the cell ring's edges from fibration <math>F_c</math>, but that cell ring contains no great hexagons from fibration <math>F_a</math> or fibration <math>F_d</math>.
The 24-cell contains 16 great hexagons, divided into four disjoint sets of four hexagons, each disjoint set uniquely defining a fibration. Each fibration is also a distinct set of four cell-disjoint 6-cell rings. The 24-cell has exactly 16 distinct 6-cell rings. Each 6-cell ring belongs to just one of the four fibrations.{{Efn|The dual polytope of the 24-cell is another 24-cell. It can be constructed by placing vertices at the 24 cell centers. Each 6-cell ring corresponds to a great hexagon in the dual 24-cell, so there are 16 distinct 6-cell rings, as there are 16 distinct great hexagons, each belonging to just one fibration.}}
==== Helical hexagrams and their isoclines ====
Another kind of geodesic fiber, the [[#Isoclinic rotations|helical hexagram isoclines]], can be found within a 6-cell ring of octahedra. Each of these geodesics runs through every ''second'' vertex of a skew [[W:Hexagram|hexagram]]<sub>2</sub>, which in the unit-radius, unit-edge-length 24-cell has six {{radic|3}} edges. The hexagram does not lie in a single central plane, but is composed of six linked {{radic|3}} chords from the six different hexagon great circles in the 6-cell ring. The isocline geodesic fiber is the path of an isoclinic rotation,{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} a helical rather than simply circular path around the 24-cell which links vertices two edge lengths apart and consequently must wrap twice around the 24-cell before completing its six-vertex loop.{{Efn|The chord-path of an isocline (the geodesic along which a vertex moves under isoclinic rotation) may be called the 4-polytope's '''Clifford polygon''', as it is the skew polygonal shape of the rotational circles traversed by the 4-polytope's vertices in its characteristic [[W:Clifford displacement|Clifford displacement]].{{Sfn|Tyrrell|Semple|1971|loc=Linear Systems of Clifford Parallels|pp=34-57}} The isocline is a helical Möbius double loop which reverses its chirality twice in the course of a full double circuit. The double loop is entirely contained within a single [[24-cell#Cell rings|cell ring]], where it follows chords connecting even (odd) vertices: typically opposite vertices of adjacent cells, two edge lengths apart.{{Efn|name=black and white}} Both "halves" of the double loop pass through each cell in the cell ring, but intersect only two even (odd) vertices in each even (odd) cell. Each pair of intersected vertices in an even (odd) cell lie opposite each other on the [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius strip]], exactly one edge length apart. Thus each cell has both helices passing through it, which are Clifford parallels{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} of opposite chirality at each pair of parallel points. Globally these two helices are a single connected circle of ''both'' chiralities, with no net [[W:Torsion of a curve|torsion]]. An isocline acts as a left (or right) isocline when traversed by a left (or right) rotation (of different fibrations).{{Efn|name=one true circle}}|name=Clifford polygon}} Rather than a flat hexagon, it forms a [[W:Skew polygon|skew]] hexagram out of two three-sided 360 degree half-loops: open triangles joined end-to-end to each other in a six-sided Möbius loop.{{Efn|name=double threaded}}
Each 6-cell ring contains six such hexagram isoclines, three black and three white, that connect even and odd vertices respectively.{{Efn|Only one kind of 6-cell ring exists, not two different chiral kinds (right-handed and left-handed), because octahedra have opposing faces and form untwisted cell rings. In addition to two sets of three Clifford parallel{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} [[#Great hexagons|great hexagons]], three black and three white [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic hexagram geodesics]] run through the [[#6-cell rings|6-cell ring]].{{Efn|name=hexagonal fibrations}} Each of these chiral skew [[W:Hexagram|hexagram]]s lies on a different kind of circle called an ''isocline'',{{Efn|name=not all isoclines are circles}} a helical circle [[W:Winding number|winding]] through all four dimensions instead of lying in a single plane.{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} These helical great circles occur in Clifford parallel [[W:Hopf fibration|fiber bundles]] just as ordinary planar great circles do. In the 6-cell ring, black and white hexagrams pass through even and odd vertices respectively, and miss the vertices in between, so the isoclines are disjoint.{{Efn|name=black and white}}|name=6-cell ring is not chiral}} Each of the three black-white pairs of isoclines belongs to one of the three fibrations in which the 6-cell ring occurs. Each fibration's right (or left) rotation traverses two black isoclines and two white isoclines in parallel, rotating all 24 vertices.{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}}
Beginning at any vertex at one end of the column of six octahedra, we can follow an isoclinic path of {{radic|3}} chords of an isocline from octahedron to octahedron. In the 24-cell the {{radic|1}} edges are [[#Great hexagons|great hexagon]] edges (and octahedron edges); in the column of six octahedra we see six great hexagons running along the octahedra's edges. The {{radic|3}} chords are great hexagon diagonals, joining great hexagon vertices two {{radic|1}} edges apart. We find them in the ring of six octahedra running from a vertex in one octahedron to a vertex in the next octahedron, passing through the face shared by the two octahedra (but not touching any of the face's 3 vertices). Each {{radic|3}} chord is a chord of just one great hexagon (an edge of a [[#Great triangles|great triangle]] inscribed in that great hexagon), but successive {{radic|3}} chords belong to different great hexagons.{{Efn|name=360 degree geodesic path visiting 3 hexagonal planes}} At each vertex the isoclinic path of {{radic|3}} chords bends 60 degrees in two central planes{{Efn|Two central planes in which the path bends 60° at the vertex are (a) the great hexagon plane that the chord ''before'' the vertex belongs to, and (b) the great hexagon plane that the chord ''after'' the vertex belongs to. Plane (b) contains the 120° isocline chord joining the original vertex to a vertex in great hexagon plane (c), Clifford parallel to (a); the vertex moves over this chord to this next vertex. The angle of inclination between the Clifford parallel (isoclinic) great hexagon planes (a) and (c) is also 60°. In this 60° interval of the isoclinic rotation, great hexagon plane (a) rotates 60° within itself ''and'' tilts 60° in an orthogonal plane (not plane (b)) to become great hexagon plane (c). The three great hexagon planes (a), (b) and (c) are not orthogonal (they are inclined at 60° to each other), but (a) and (b) are two central hexagons in the same cuboctahedron, and (b) and (c) likewise in an orthogonal cuboctahedron.{{Efn|name=cuboctahedral hexagons}}}} at once: 60 degrees around the great hexagon that the chord before the vertex belongs to, and 60 degrees into the plane of a different great hexagon entirely, that the chord after the vertex belongs to.{{Efn|At each vertex there is only one adjacent great hexagon plane that the isocline can bend 60 degrees into: the isoclinic path is ''deterministic'' in the sense that it is linear, not branching, because each vertex in the cell ring is a place where just two of the six great hexagons contained in the cell ring cross. If each great hexagon is given edges and chords of a particular color (as in the 6-cell ring illustration), we can name each great hexagon by its color, and each kind of vertex by a hyphenated two-color name. The cell ring contains 18 vertices named by the 9 unique two-color combinations; each vertex and its antipodal vertex have the same two colors in their name, since when two great hexagons intersect they do so at antipodal vertices. Each isoclinic skew hexagram{{Efn|Each half of a skew hexagram is an open triangle of three {{radic|3}} chords, the two open ends of which are one {{radic|1}} edge length apart. The two halves, like the whole isocline, have no inherent chirality but the same parity-color (black or white). The halves are the two opposite "edges" of a [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius strip]] that is {{radic|1}} wide; it actually has only one edge, which is a single continuous circle with 6 chords.|name=skew hexagram}} contains one {{radic|3}} chord of each color, and visits 6 of the 9 different color-pairs of vertex.{{Efn|Each vertex of the 6-cell ring is intersected by two skew hexagrams of the same parity (black or white) belonging to different fibrations.{{Efn|name=6-cell ring is not chiral}}|name=hexagrams hitting vertex of 6-cell ring}} Each 6-cell ring contains six such isoclinic skew hexagrams, three black and three white.{{Efn|name=hexagrams missing vertex of 6-cell ring}}|name=Möbius double loop hexagram}} Thus the path follows one great hexagon from each octahedron to the next, but switches to another of the six great hexagons in the next link of the hexagram<sub>2</sub> path. Followed along the column of six octahedra (and "around the end" where the column is bent into a ring) the path may at first appear to be zig-zagging between three adjacent parallel hexagonal central planes (like a [[W:Petrie polygon|Petrie polygon]]), but it is not: any isoclinic path we can pick out always zig-zags between ''two sets'' of three adjacent parallel hexagonal central planes, intersecting only every even (or odd) vertex and never changing its inherent even/odd parity, as it visits all six of the great hexagons in the 6-cell ring in rotation.{{Efn|The 24-cell's [[W:Petrie polygon#The Petrie polygon of regular polychora (4-polytopes)|Petrie polygon]] is a skew [[W:Skew polygon#Regular skew polygons in four dimensions|dodecagon]] {12} and also (orthogonally) a skew [[W:Dodecagram|dodecagram]] {12/5} which zig-zags 90° left and right like the edges dividing the black and white squares on the [[W:Chessboard|chessboard]].{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=292-293|loc=Table I(ii); 24-cell ''h<sub>1</sub> is {12}, h<sub>2</sub> is {12/5}''}} In contrast, the skew hexagram<sub>2</sub> isocline does not zig-zag, and stays on one side or the other of the dividing line between black and white, like the [[W:Bishop (chess)|bishop]]s' paths along the diagonals of either the black or white squares of the chessboard.{{Efn|name=missing the nearest vertices}} The Petrie dodecagon is a circular helix of {{radic|1}} edges that zig-zag 90° left and right along 12 edges of 6 different octahedra (with 3 consecutive edges in each octahedron) in a 360° rotation. In contrast, the isoclinic hexagram<sub>2</sub> has {{radic|3}} edges which all bend either left or right at every ''second'' vertex along a geodesic spiral of ''both'' chiralities (left and right){{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}} but only one color (black or white),{{Efn|name=black and white}} visiting one vertex of each of those same 6 octahedra in a 720° rotation.|name=Petrie dodecagram and Clifford hexagram}} When it has traversed one chord from each of the six great hexagons, after 720 degrees of isoclinic rotation (either left or right), it closes its skew hexagram and begins to repeat itself, circling again through the black (or white) vertices and cells.
At each vertex, there are four great hexagons{{Efn|Each pair of adjacent edges of a great hexagon has just one isocline curving alongside it,{{Efn|Each vertex of a 6-cell ring is missed by the two halves of the same Möbius double loop hexagram,{{Efn|name=Möbius double loop hexagram}} which curve past it on either side.|name=hexagrams missing vertex of 6-cell ring}} missing the vertex between the two edges (but not the way the {{radic|3}} edge of the great triangle inscribed in the great hexagon misses the vertex,{{Efn|The {{radic|3}} chord passes through the mid-edge of one of the 24-cell's {{radic|1}} radii. Since the 24-cell can be constructed, with its long radii, from {{radic|1}} triangles which meet at its center, this is a mid-edge of one of the six {{radic|1}} triangles in a great hexagon, as seen in the [[#Hypercubic chords|chord diagram]].|name=root 3 chord hits a mid-radius}} because the isocline is an arc on the surface not a chord). If we number the vertices around the hexagon 0-5, the hexagon has three pairs of adjacent edges connecting even vertices (one inscribed great triangle), and three pairs connecting odd vertices (the other inscribed great triangle). Even and odd pairs of edges have the arc of a black and a white isocline respectively curving alongside.{{Efn|name=black and white}} The three black and three white isoclines belong to the same 6-cell ring of the same fibration.{{Efn|name=Möbius double loop hexagram}}|name=isoclines at hexagons}} and four hexagram isoclines (all black or all white) that cross at the vertex.{{Efn|Each hexagram isocline hits only one end of an axis, unlike a great circle which hits both ends. Clifford parallel pairs of black and white isoclines from the same left-right pair of isoclinic rotations (the same fibration) do not intersect, but they hit opposite (antipodal) vertices of ''one'' of the 24-cell's 12 axes.|name=hexagram isoclines at an axis}} Four hexagram isoclines (two black and two white) comprise a unique (left or right) fiber bundle of isoclines covering all 24 vertices in each distinct (left or right) isoclinic rotation. Each fibration has a unique left and right isoclinic rotation, and corresponding unique left and right fiber bundles of isoclines.{{Efn|The isoclines themselves are not left or right, only the bundles are. Each isocline is left ''and'' right.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}}}} There are 16 distinct hexagram isoclines in the 24-cell (8 black and 8 white).{{Efn|The 12 black-white pairs of hexagram isoclines in each fibration{{Efn|name=hexagram isoclines at an axis}} and the 16 distinct hexagram isoclines in the 24-cell form a [[W:Reye configuration|Reye configuration]] 12<sub>4</sub>16<sub>3</sub>, just the way the 24-cell's 12 axes and [[#Great hexagons|16 hexagons]] do. Each of the 12 black-white pairs occurs in one cell ring of each fibration of 4 hexagram isoclines, and each cell ring contains 3 black-white pairs of the 16 hexagram isoclines.|name=a right (left) isoclinic rotation is a Reye configuration}} Each isocline is a skew ''Clifford polygon'' of no inherent chirality, but acts as a left (or right) isocline when traversed by a left (or right) rotation in different fibrations.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}}
==== Helical octagrams and their isoclines ====
The 24-cell contains 18 helical [[W:Octagram|octagram]] isoclines (9 black and 9 white). Three pairs of octagram edge-helices are found in each of the three inscribed 16-cells, described elsewhere as the [[16-cell#Helical construction|helical construction of the 16-cell]]. In summary, each 16-cell can be decomposed (three different ways) into a left-right pair of 8-cell rings of {{radic|2}}-edged tetrahedral cells. Each 8-cell ring twists either left or right around an axial octagram helix of eight chords. In each 16-cell there are exactly 6 distinct helices, identical octagrams which each circle through all eight vertices. Each acts as either a left helix or a right helix or a Petrie polygon in each of the six distinct isoclinic rotations (three left and three right), and has no inherent chirality except in respect to a particular rotation. Adjacent vertices on the octagram isoclines are {{radic|2}} = 90° apart, so the circumference of the isocline is 4𝝅. An ''isoclinic'' rotation by 90° in great square invariant planes takes each vertex to its antipodal vertex, four vertices away in either direction along the isocline, and {{radic|4}} = 180° distant across the diameter of the isocline.
Each of the 3 fibrations of the 24-cell's 18 great squares corresponds to a distinct left (and right) isoclinic rotation in great square invariant planes. Each 60° step of the rotation takes 6 disjoint great squares (2 from each 16-cell) to great squares in a neighboring 16-cell, on [[16-cell#Helical construction|8-chord helical isoclines characteristic of the 16-cell]].{{Efn|As [[16-cell#Helical construction|in the 16-cell, the isocline is an octagram]] which intersects only 8 vertices, even though the 24-cell has more vertices closer together than the 16-cell. The isocline curve misses the additional vertices in between. As in the 16-cell, the first vertex it intersects is {{radic|2}} away. The 24-cell employs more octagram isoclines (3 in parallel in each rotation) than the 16-cell does (1 in each rotation). The 3 helical isoclines are Clifford parallel;{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} they spiral around each other in a triple helix, with the disjoint helices' corresponding vertex pairs joined by {{radic|1}} {{=}} 60° chords. The triple helix of 3 isoclines contains 24 disjoint {{radic|2}} edges (6 disjoint great squares) and 24 vertices, and constitutes a discrete fibration of the 24-cell, just as the 4-cell ring does.|name=octagram isoclines}}
In the 24-cell, these 18 helical octagram isoclines can be found within the six orthogonal [[#4-cell rings|4-cell rings]] of octahedra. Each 4-cell ring has cells bonded vertex-to-vertex around a great square axis, and we find antipodal vertices at opposite vertices of the great square. A {{radic|4}} chord (the diameter of the great square and of the isocline) connects them. [[#Boundary cells|Boundary cells]] describes how the {{radic|2}} axes of the 24-cell's octahedral cells are the edges of the 16-cell's tetrahedral cells, each tetrahedron is inscribed in a (tesseract) cube, and each octahedron is inscribed in a pair of cubes (from different tesseracts), bridging them.{{Efn|name=octahedral diameters}} The vertex-bonded octahedra of the 4-cell ring also lie in different tesseracts.{{Efn|Two tesseracts share only vertices, not any edges, faces, cubes (with inscribed tetrahedra), or octahedra (whose central square planes are square faces of cubes). An octahedron that touches another octahedron at a vertex (but not at an edge or a face) is touching an octahedron in another tesseract, and a pair of adjacent cubes in the other tesseract whose common square face the octahedron spans, and a tetrahedron inscribed in each of those cubes.|name=vertex-bonded octahedra}} The isocline's four {{radic|4}} diameter chords form an [[W:Octagram#Star polygon compounds|octagram<sub>8{4}=4{2}</sub>]] with {{radic|4}} edges that each run from the vertex of one cube and octahedron and tetrahedron, to the vertex of another cube and octahedron and tetrahedron (in a different tesseract), straight through the center of the 24-cell on one of the 12 {{radic|4}} axes.
The octahedra in the 4-cell rings are vertex-bonded to more than two other octahedra, because three 4-cell rings (and their three axial great squares, which belong to different 16-cells) cross at 90° at each bonding vertex. At that vertex the octagram makes two right-angled turns at once: 90° around the great square, and 90° orthogonally into a different 4-cell ring entirely. The 180° four-edge arc joining two ends of each {{radic|4}} diameter chord of the octagram runs through the volumes and opposite vertices of two face-bonded {{radic|2}} tetrahedra (in the same 16-cell), which are also the opposite vertices of two vertex-bonded octahedra in different 4-cell rings (and different tesseracts). The [[W:Octagram|720° octagram]] isocline runs through 8 vertices of the four-cell ring and through the volumes of 16 tetrahedra. At each vertex, there are three great squares and six octagram isoclines (three black-white pairs) that cross at the vertex.{{Efn|name=completely orthogonal Clifford parallels are special}}
This is the characteristic rotation of the 16-cell, ''not'' the 24-cell's characteristic rotation, and it does not take whole 16-cells ''of the 24-cell'' to each other the way the [[#Helical hexagrams and their isoclines|24-cell's rotation in great hexagon planes]] does.{{Efn|The [[600-cell#Squares and 4𝝅 octagrams|600-cell's isoclinic rotation in great square planes]] takes whole 16-cells to other 16-cells in different 24-cells.}}
{| class="wikitable" width=610
!colspan=5|Five ways of looking at a [[W:Skew polygon|skew]] [[W:24-gon#Related polygons|24-gram]]
|-
![[16-cell#Rotations|Edge path]]
![[W:Petrie polygon|Petrie polygon]]s
![[600-cell#Squares and 4𝝅 octagrams|In a 600-cell]]
![[#Great squares|Discrete fibration]]
![[16-cell#Helical construction|Diameter chords]]
|-
![[16-cell#Helical construction|16-cells]]<sub>3{3/8}</sub>
![[W:Petrie polygon#The Petrie polygon of regular polychora (4-polytopes)|Dodecagons]]<sub>2{12}</sub>
![[W:24-gon#Related polygons|24-gram]]<sub>{24/5}</sub>
![[#Great squares|Squares]]<sub>6{4}</sub>
![[W:24-gon#Related polygons|<sub>{24/12}={12/2}</sub>]]
|-
|align=center|[[File:Regular_star_figure_3(8,3).svg|120px]]
|align=center|[[File:Regular_star_figure_2(12,1).svg|120px]]
|align=center|[[File:Regular_star_polygon_24-5.svg|120px]]
|align=center|[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|120px]]
|align=center|[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|120px]]
|-
|The 24-cell's three inscribed Clifford parallel 16-cells revealed as disjoint 8-point 4-polytopes with {{radic|2}} edges.{{Efn|name=octagram isoclines}}
|2 [[W:Skew polygon|skew polygon]]s of 12 {{radic|1}} edges each. The 24-cell can be decomposed into 2 disjoint zig-zag [[W:Dodecagon|dodecagon]]s (4 different ways).{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=292-293|loc=Table I(ii); 24-cell Petrie polygon ''h<sub>1</sub>'' is {12} }}
|In [[600-cell#Hexagons|compounds of 5 24-cells]], isoclines with [[600-cell#Golden chords|golden chords]] of length <big>φ</big> {{=}} {{radic|2.𝚽}} connect all 24-cells in [[600-cell#Squares and 4𝝅 octagrams|24-chord circuits]].{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=292-293|loc=Table I(ii); 24-cell Petrie polygon orthogonal ''h<sub>2</sub>'' is [[W:Dodecagon#Related figures|{12/5}]], half of [[W:24-gon#Related polygons|{24/5}]] as each Petrie polygon is half the 24-cell}}
|Their isoclinic rotation takes 6 Clifford parallel (disjoint) great squares with {{radic|2}} edges to each other.
|Two vertices four {{radic|2}} chords apart on the circular isocline are antipodal vertices joined by a {{radic|4}} axis.
|-
|colspan=5|Images by Tom Ruen in [[W:Triacontagon#Triacontagram|Triacontagram compounds and stars]].{{Sfn|Ruen: Triacontagon|2011|loc=§Triacontagram compounds and stars}}
|}
===Characteristic orthoscheme===
{| class="wikitable floatright"
!colspan=6|Characteristics of the 24-cell{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=292-293|loc=Table I(ii); "24-cell"}}
|-
!align=right|
!align=center|edge{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=139|loc=§7.9 The characteristic simplex}}
!colspan=2 align=center|arc
!colspan=2 align=center|dihedral{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=290|loc=Table I(ii); "dihedral angles"}}
|-
!align=right|𝒍
|align=center|<small><math>1</math></small>
|align=center|<small>60°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{3}</math></small>
|align=center|<small>120°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{2\pi}{3}</math></small>
|-
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!align=right|𝟀
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{3}} \approx 0.577</math></small>
|align=center|<small>45°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{4}</math></small>
|align=center|<small>45°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{4}</math></small>
|-
!align=right|𝝉{{Efn|{{Harv|Coxeter|1973}} uses the greek letter 𝝓 (phi) to represent one of the three ''characteristic angles'' 𝟀, 𝝓, 𝟁 of a regular polytope. Because 𝝓 is commonly used to represent the [[W:Golden ratio|golden ratio]] constant ≈ 1.618, for which Coxeter uses 𝝉 (tau), we reverse Coxeter's conventions, and use 𝝉 to represent the characteristic angle.|name=reversed greek symbols}}
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{4}} = 0.5</math></small>
|align=center|<small>30°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{6}</math></small>
|align=center|<small>60°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{3}</math></small>
|-
!align=right|𝟁
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{12}} \approx 0.289</math></small>
|align=center|<small>30°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{6}</math></small>
|align=center|<small>60°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{3}</math></small>
|-
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|-
!align=right|<small><math>_0R^3/l</math></small>
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{2}} \approx 0.707</math></small>
|align=center|<small>45°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{4}</math></small>
|align=center|<small>90°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{2}</math></small>
|-
!align=right|<small><math>_1R^3/l</math></small>
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{4}} = 0.5</math></small>
|align=center|<small>30°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{6}</math></small>
|align=center|<small>90°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{2}</math></small>
|-
!align=right|<small><math>_2R^3/l</math></small>
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{6}} \approx 0.408</math></small>
|align=center|<small>30°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{6}</math></small>
|align=center|<small>90°</small>
|align=center|<small><math>\tfrac{\pi}{2}</math></small>
|-
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|-
!align=right|<small><math>_0R^4/l</math></small>
|align=center|<small><math>1</math></small>
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|-
!align=right|<small><math>_1R^4/l</math></small>
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{3}{4}} \approx 0.866</math></small>{{Efn|name=root 3/4}}
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|-
!align=right|<small><math>_2R^4/l</math></small>
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{2}{3}} \approx 0.816</math></small>
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|-
!align=right|<small><math>_3R^4/l</math></small>
|align=center|<small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{2}} \approx 0.707</math></small>
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|align=center|
|}
Every regular 4-polytope has its [[W:Orthoscheme#Characteristic simplex of the general regular polytope|characteristic 4-orthoscheme]], an [[5-cell#Irregular 5-cells|irregular 5-cell]].{{Efn|name=characteristic orthoscheme}} The '''characteristic 5-cell of the regular 24-cell''' is represented by the [[W:Coxeter-Dynkin diagram|Coxeter-Dynkin diagram]] {{Coxeter–Dynkin diagram|node|3|node|4|node|3|node}}, which can be read as a list of the dihedral angles between its mirror facets.{{Efn|For a regular ''k''-polytope, the [[W:Coxeter-Dynkin diagram|Coxeter-Dynkin diagram]] of the characteristic ''k-''orthoscheme is the ''k''-polytope's diagram without the [[W:Coxeter-Dynkin diagram#Application with uniform polytopes|generating point ring]]. The regular ''k-''polytope is subdivided by its symmetry (''k''-1)-elements into ''g'' instances of its characteristic ''k''-orthoscheme that surround its center, where ''g'' is the ''order'' of the ''k''-polytope's [[W:Coxeter group|symmetry group]].{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=130-133|loc=§7.6 The symmetry group of the general regular polytope}}}} It is an irregular [[W:Hyperpyramid|tetrahedral pyramid]] based on the [[W:Octahedron#Characteristic orthoscheme|characteristic tetrahedron of the regular octahedron]]. The regular 24-cell is subdivided by its symmetry hyperplanes into 1152 instances of its characteristic 5-cell that all meet at its center.{{Sfn|Kim|Rote|2016|pp=17-20|loc=§10 The Coxeter Classification of Four-Dimensional Point Groups}}
The characteristic 5-cell (4-orthoscheme) has four more edges than its base characteristic tetrahedron (3-orthoscheme), joining the four vertices of the base to its apex (the fifth vertex of the 4-orthoscheme, at the center of the regular 24-cell).{{Efn|The four edges of each 4-orthoscheme which meet at the center of the regular 4-polytope are of unequal length, because they are the four characteristic radii of the regular 4-polytope: a vertex radius, an edge center radius, a face center radius, and a cell center radius. The five vertices of the 4-orthoscheme always include one regular 4-polytope vertex, one regular 4-polytope edge center, one regular 4-polytope face center, one regular 4-polytope cell center, and the regular 4-polytope center. Those five vertices (in that order) comprise a path along four mutually perpendicular edges (that makes three right angle turns), the characteristic feature of a 4-orthoscheme. The 4-orthoscheme has five dissimilar 3-orthoscheme facets.|name=characteristic radii}} If the regular 24-cell has radius and edge length 𝒍 = 1, its characteristic 5-cell's ten edges have lengths <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{3}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{4}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{12}}</math></small> around its exterior right-triangle face (the edges opposite the ''characteristic angles'' 𝟀, 𝝉, 𝟁),{{Efn|name=reversed greek symbols}} plus <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{2}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{4}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{6}}</math></small> (the other three edges of the exterior 3-orthoscheme facet the characteristic tetrahedron, which are the ''characteristic radii'' of the octahedron), plus <small><math>1</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{3}{4}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{2}{3}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{2}}</math></small> (edges which are the characteristic radii of the 24-cell). The 4-edge path along orthogonal edges of the orthoscheme is <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{4}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{12}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{6}}</math></small>, <small><math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1}{2}}</math></small>, first from a 24-cell vertex to a 24-cell edge center, then turning 90° to a 24-cell face center, then turning 90° to a 24-cell octahedral cell center, then turning 90° to the 24-cell center.
=== Reflections ===
The 24-cell can be [[#Tetrahedral constructions|constructed by the reflections of its characteristic 5-cell]] in its own facets (its tetrahedral mirror walls).{{Efn|The reflecting surface of a (3-dimensional) polyhedron consists of 2-dimensional faces; the reflecting surface of a (4-dimensional) [[W:Polychoron|polychoron]] consists of 3-dimensional cells.}} Reflections and rotations are related: a reflection in an ''even'' number of ''intersecting'' mirrors is a rotation.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=33-38|loc=§3.1 Congruent transformations}} Consequently, regular polytopes can be generated by reflections or by rotations. For example, any [[#Isoclinic rotations|720° isoclinic rotation]] of the 24-cell in a hexagonal invariant plane takes ''each'' of the 24 vertices to and through 5 other vertices and back to itself, on a skew [[#Helical hexagrams and their isoclines|hexagram<sub>2</sub> geodesic isocline]] that winds twice around the 3-sphere on every ''second'' vertex of the hexagram. Any set of [[#The 3 Cartesian bases of the 24-cell|four orthogonal pairs of antipodal vertices]] (the 8 vertices of one of the [[#Relationships among interior polytopes|three inscribed 16-cells]]) performing ''half'' such an orbit visits 3 * 8 = 24 distinct vertices and [[#Clifford parallel polytopes|generates the 24-cell]] sequentially in 3 steps of a single 360° isoclinic rotation, just as any single characteristic 5-cell reflecting itself in its own mirror walls generates the 24 vertices simultaneously by reflection.
Tracing the orbit of ''one'' such 16-cell vertex during the 360° isoclinic rotation reveals more about the relationship between reflections and rotations as generative operations.{{Efn|<blockquote>Let Q denote a rotation, R a reflection, T a translation, and let Q<sup>''q''</sup> R<sup>''r''</sup> T denote a product of several such transformations, all commutative with one another. Then RT is a glide-reflection (in two or three dimensions), QR is a rotary-reflection, QT is a screw-displacement, and Q<sup>2</sup> is a double rotation (in four dimensions).<br><br>Every orthogonal transformation is expressible as{{indent|12}}Q<sup>''q''</sup> R<sup>''r''</sup><br>where 2''q'' + ''r'' ≤ ''n'', the number of dimensions. Transformations involving a translation are expressible as{{indent|12}}Q<sup>''q''</sup> R<sup>''r''</sup> T<br>where 2''q'' + ''r'' + 1 ≤ ''n''.<br><br>For ''n'' {{=}} 4 in particular, every displacement is either a double rotation Q<sup>2</sup>, or a screw-displacement QT (where the rotation component Q is a simple rotation). Every enantiomorphous transformation in 4-space (reversing chirality) is a QRT.{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|pp=217-218|loc=§12.2 Congruent transformations}}</blockquote>|name=transformations}} The vertex follows an [[#Helical hexagrams and their isoclines|isocline]] (a doubly curved geodesic circle) rather than an ordinary great circle.{{Efn|name=360 degree geodesic path visiting 3 hexagonal planes}} The isocline connects vertices two edge lengths apart, but curves away from the great circle path over the two edges connecting those vertices, missing the vertex in between.{{Efn|name=isocline misses vertex}} Although the isocline does not follow any one great circle, it is contained within a ring of another kind: in the 24-cell it stays within a [[#6-cell rings|6-cell ring]] of spherical{{Sfn|Coxeter|1973|p=138|ps=; "We allow the Schläfli symbol {p,..., v} to have three different meanings: a Euclidean polytope, a spherical polytope, and a spherical honeycomb. This need not cause any confusion, so long as the situation is frankly recognized. The differences are clearly seen in the concept of dihedral angle."}} octahedral cells, intersecting one vertex in each cell, and passing through the volume of two adjacent cells near the missed vertex.
=== Chiral symmetry operations ===
A [[W:Symmetry operation|symmetry operation]] is a rotation or reflection which leaves the object indistinguishable from itself before the transformation. The 24-cell has 1152 distinct symmetry operations (576 rotations and 576 reflections). Each rotation is equivalent to two [[#Reflections|reflections]], in a distinct pair of non-parallel mirror planes.{{Efn|name=transformations}}
Pictured are sets of disjoint [[#Geodesics|great circle polygons]], each in a distinct central plane of the 24-cell. For example, {24/4}=4{6} is an orthogonal projection of the 24-cell picturing 4 of its [16] great hexagon planes.{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}} The 4 planes lie Clifford parallel to the projection plane and to each other, and their great polygons collectively constitute a discrete [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]] of 4 non-intersecting great circles which visit all 24 vertices just once.
Each row of the table describes a class of distinct rotations. Each '''rotation class''' takes the '''left planes''' pictured to the corresponding '''right planes''' pictured.{{Efn|The left planes are Clifford parallel, and the right planes are Clifford parallel; each set of planes is a fibration. Each left plane is Clifford parallel to its corresponding right plane in an isoclinic rotation,{{Efn|In an ''isoclinic'' rotation each invariant plane is Clifford parallel to the plane it moves to, and they do not intersect at any time (except at the central point). In a ''simple'' rotation the invariant plane intersects the plane it moves to in a line, and moves to it by rotating around that line.|name=plane movement in rotations}} but the two sets of planes are not all mutually Clifford parallel; they are different fibrations, except in table rows where the left and right planes are the same set.}} The vertices of the moving planes move in parallel along the polygonal '''isocline''' paths pictured. For example, the <math>[32]R_{q7,q8}</math> rotation class consists of [32] distinct rotational displacements by an arc-distance of {{sfrac|2𝝅|3}} = 120° between 16 great hexagon planes represented by quaternion group <math>q7</math> and a corresponding set of 16 great hexagon planes represented by quaternion group <math>q8</math>.{{Efn|A quaternion group <math>\pm{q_n}</math> corresponds to a distinct set of Clifford parallel great circle polygons, e.g. <math>q7</math> corresponds to a set of four disjoint great hexagons.{{Efn|[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|thumb|200px|The 24-cell as a compound of four non-intersecting great hexagons {24/4}=4{6}.]]There are 4 sets of 4 disjoint great hexagons in the 24-cell (of a total of [16] distinct great hexagons), designated <math>q7</math>, <math>-q7</math>, <math>q8</math> and <math>-q8</math>.{{Efn|name=union of q7 and q8}} Each named set of 4 Clifford parallel{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} hexagons comprises a [[#Chiral symmetry operations|discrete fibration]] covering all 24 vertices.|name=four hexagonal fibrations}} Note that <math>q_n</math> and <math>-{q_n}</math> generally are distinct sets. The corresponding vertices of the <math>q_n</math> planes and the <math>-{q_n}</math> planes are 180° apart.{{Efn|name=two angles between central planes}}|name=quaternion group}} One of the [32] distinct rotations of this class moves the representative [[#Great hexagons|vertex coordinate]] <math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math> to the vertex coordinate <math>(\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2})</math>.{{Efn|A quaternion Cartesian coordinate designates a vertex joined to a ''top vertex'' by one instance of a [[#Hypercubic chords|distinct chord]]. The conventional top vertex of a [[#Great hexagons|unit radius 4-polytope]] in standard (vertex-up) orientation is <math>(0,0,1,0)</math>, the Cartesian "north pole". Thus e.g. <math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math> designates a {{radic|1}} chord of 60° arc-length. Each such distinct chord is an edge of a distinct [[#Geodesics|great circle polygon]], in this example a [[#Great hexagons|great hexagon]], intersecting the north and south poles. Great circle polygons occur in sets of Clifford parallel central planes, each set of disjoint great circles comprising a discrete [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]] that intersects every vertex just once. One great circle polygon in each set intersects the north and south poles. This quaternion coordinate <math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math> is thus representative of the 4 disjoint great hexagons pictured, a quaternion group{{Efn|name=quaternion group}} which comprise one distinct fibration of the [16] great hexagons (four fibrations of great hexagons) that occur in the 24-cell.{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}}|name=north pole relative coordinate}}
{| class=wikitable style="white-space:nowrap;text-align:center"
!colspan=15|Proper [[W:SO(4)|rotations]] of the 24-cell [[W:F4 (mathematics)|symmetry group ''F<sub>4</sub>'']]{{Sfn|Mamone|Pileio|Levitt|2010|loc=§4.5 Regular Convex 4-Polytopes, Table 2, Symmetry operations|pp=1438-1439}}
|-
!Isocline{{Efn|An ''isocline'' is the circular geodesic path taken by a vertex that lies in an invariant plane of rotation, during a complete revolution. In an [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]] every vertex lies in an invariant plane of rotation, and the isocline it rotates on is a helical geodesic circle that winds through all four dimensions, not a simple geodesic great circle in the plane. In a [[#Simple rotations|simple rotation]] there is only one invariant plane of rotation, and each vertex that lies in it rotates on a simple geodesic great circle in the plane. Both the helical geodesic isocline of an isoclinic rotation and the simple geodesic isocline of a simple rotation are great circles, but to avoid confusion between them we generally reserve the term ''isocline'' for the former, and reserve the term ''great circle'' for the latter, an ordinary great circle in the plane. Strictly, however, the latter is an isocline of circumference <math>2\pi r</math>, and the former is an isocline of circumference greater than <math>2\pi r</math>.{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}}|name=isocline}}
!colspan=4|Rotation class{{Efn|Each class of rotational displacements (each table row) corresponds to a distinct rigid left (and right) [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]] in multiple invariant planes concurrently.{{Efn|name=invariant planes of an isoclinic rotation}} The '''Isocline''' is the path followed by a vertex,{{Efn|name=isocline}} which is a helical geodesic circle that does not lie in any one central plane. Each rotational displacement takes one invariant '''Left plane''' to the corresponding invariant '''Right plane''', with all the left (or right) displacements taking place concurrently.{{Efn|name=plane movement in rotations}} Each left plane is separated from the corresponding right plane by two equal angles,{{Efn|name=two angles between central planes}} each equal to one half of the arc-angle by which each vertex is displaced (the angle and distance that appears in the '''Rotation class''' column).|name=isoclinic rotation}}
!colspan=5|Left planes <math>ql</math>{{Efn|In an [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]], all the '''Left planes''' move together, remain Clifford parallel while moving, and carry all their points with them to the '''Right planes''' as they move: they are invariant planes.{{Efn|name=plane movement in rotations}} Because the left (and right) set of central polygons are a fibration covering all the vertices, every vertex is a point carried along in an invariant plane.|name=invariant planes of an isoclinic rotation}}
!colspan=5|Right planes <math>qr</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/8}=4{6/2}]]{{Efn|In this orthogonal projection of the 24-point 24-cell to a [[W:Dodecagon#Related figures|{12/4}=4{3} dodecagram]], each point represents two vertices, and each line represents multiple {{radic|3}} chords. Each disjoint triangle can be seen as a skew {6/2} [[W:Hexagram|hexagram]] with {{radic|3}} edges: two open skew triangles with their opposite ends connected in a [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius loop]] with a circumference of 4𝝅. The hexagram projects to a single triangle in two dimensions because it skews through all four dimensions. Those 4 disjoint skew [[#Helical hexagrams and their isoclines|hexagram isoclines]] are the Clifford parallel circular vertex paths of the fibration's characteristic left (and right) [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]].{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} The 4 Clifford parallel great hexagons of the fibration are invariant planes of this rotation. The great hexagons rotate in incremental displacements of 60° like wheels ''and'' 60° orthogonally like coins flipping, displacing each vertex by 120°, as their vertices move along parallel helical isocline paths through successive Clifford parallel hexagon planes.{{Efn|Each hexagon rides on only three skew hexagram isoclines, not six, because opposite vertices of each hexagon ride on opposing rails of the same Clifford hexagram, in the same (not opposite) rotational direction.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}}}} Alternatively, the 4 triangles can be seen as 8 disjoint triangles: 4 pairs of Clifford parallel [[#Great triangles|great triangles]], where two opposing great triangles lie in the same [[#Great hexagons|great hexagon central plane]], so a fibration of 4 Clifford parallel great hexagon planes is represented.{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}} This illustrates that the 4 hexagram isoclines also correspond to a distinct fibration, in fact the ''same'' fibration as 4 great hexagons.|name=hexagram}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(3,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7,q8}</math><br>[16] 4𝝅 {6/2}
|colspan=4|<math>[32]R_{q7,q8}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[32]R_{q7,q8}</math> isoclinic rotation in great hexagon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex two vertices away (120° {{=}} {{radic|3}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left hexagon rotates 60° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 60° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right hexagon plane. Repeated 6 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq7,q8}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>{{Efn|name=north pole relative coordinate}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/8}=4{6/2}]]{{Efn|In this orthogonal projection of the 24-point 24-cell to a [[W:Dodecagon#Related figures|{12/4}=4{3} dodecagram]], each point represents two vertices, and each line represents multiple {{radic|3}} chords. The 4 triangles can be seen as 8 disjoint triangles: 4 pairs of Clifford parallel [[#Great triangles|great triangles]], where two opposing great triangles lie in the same [[#Great hexagons|great hexagon central plane]], so a fibration of 4 Clifford parallel great hexagon planes is represented, as in the 4 left planes of this rotation class (table row).{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}}|name=great triangles}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(3,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q8}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|{{sfrac|2𝝅|3}}
|120°
|{{radic|3}}
|1.732~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|2𝝅|3}}
|120°
|{{radic|3}}
|1.732~
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/2}=2{12}]]{{Efn|In this orthogonal projection of the 24-point 24-cell to a [[W:Dodecagon#Related figures|{12/2}=2{6} dodecagram]], each point represents two vertices, and each line represents multiple 24-cell edges. Each disjoint hexagon can be seen as a skew {12} [[W:Dodecagon|dodecagon]], a Petrie polygon of the 24-cell, by viewing it as two open skew hexagons with their opposite ends connected in a [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius loop]] with a circumference of 4𝝅. The dodecagon projects to a single hexagon in two dimensions because it skews through all four dimensions. Those 2 disjoint skew dodecagons are the Clifford parallel circular vertex paths of the fibration's characteristic left (and right) [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]].{{Efn|name=isoclinic geodesic}} The 4 Clifford parallel great hexagons of the fibration are invariant planes of this rotation. The great hexagons rotate in incremental displacements of 30° like wheels ''and'' 30° orthogonally like coins flipping, displacing each vertex by 60°, as their vertices move along parallel helical isocline paths through successive Clifford parallel hexagon planes.{{Efn|Each hexagon rides on only two parallel dodecagon isoclines, not six, because only alternate vertices of each hexagon ride on different dodecagon rails; the three vertices of each great triangle inscribed in the great hexagon occupy the same dodecagon Petrie polygon, four vertices apart, and they circulate on that isocline.{{Efn|name=Clifford polygon}}}} Alternatively, the 2 hexagons can be seen as 4 disjoint hexagons: 2 pairs of Clifford parallel great hexagons, so a fibration of 4 Clifford parallel great hexagon planes is represented.{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}} This illustrates that the 2 dodecagon isoclines also correspond to a distinct fibration, in fact the ''same'' fibration as 4 great hexagons.|name=dodecagon}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_2(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7,-q8}</math><br>[16] 4𝝅 {12}
|colspan=4|<math>[32]R_{q7,-q8}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[32]R_{q7,-q8}</math> isoclinic rotation in great hexagon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex one vertex away (60° {{=}} {{radic|1}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices.{{Efn|At the mid-point of the isocline arc (30° away) it passes directly over the mid-point of a 24-cell edge.}} Each left hexagon rotates 30° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 30° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right hexagon plane. Repeated 12 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq7,-q8}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{-q8}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(-\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/1}={24}]]<br>[[File:Regular_polygon_24.svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7,q7}</math><br>[16] 4𝝅 {1}
|colspan=4|<math>[32]R_{q7,q7}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[32]R_{q7,q7}</math> isoclinic rotation in great hexagon invariant planes takes each vertex through a 360° rotation and back to itself (360° {{=}} {{radic|0}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left hexagon rotates 180° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 180° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right hexagon plane. Repeated 2 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq7,q7}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|2𝝅
|360°
|{{radic|0}}
|0
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7,-q7}</math><br>[16] 4𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>[32]R_{q7,-q7}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[32]R_{q7,-q7}</math> isoclinic rotation in hexagon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex three vertices away (180° {{=}} {{radic|4}} away),{{Efn|name=quaternion group}} without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left hexagon rotates 90° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 90° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right hexagon plane. Repeated 4 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq7,-q7}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/8}=4{6/2}]]{{Efn|name=great triangles}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(3,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{-q7}</math><br>[16] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(-\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2},-\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|𝝅
|180°
|{{radic|4}}
|2
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|2𝝅|3}}
|120°
|{{radic|3}}
|1.732~
|- style="background: #E6FFEE;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/2}=2{12}]]{{Efn|name=dodecagon}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_2(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7,q1}</math><br>[8] 4𝝅 {12}
|colspan=4|<math>[16]R_{q7,q1}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[16]R_{q7,q1}</math> isoclinic rotation in great hexagon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex one vertex away (60° {{=}} {{radic|1}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left hexagon rotates 30° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 30° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right square plane.{{Efn|This ''hybrid isoclinic rotation'' carries the two kinds of [[#Geodesics|central planes]] to each other: great square planes [[16-cell#Coordinates|characteristic of the 16-cell]] and great hexagon (great triangle) planes [[#Great hexagons|characteristic of the 24-cell]].{{Efn|The edges and 4𝝅 characteristic [[16-cell#Rotations|rotations of the 16-cell]] lie in the great square central planes. Rotations of this type are an expression of the [[W:Hyperoctahedral group|<math>B_4</math> symmetry group]]. The edges and 4𝝅 characteristic [[#Rotations|rotations of the 24-cell]] lie in the great hexagon (great triangle) central planes. Rotations of this type are an expression of the [[W:F4 (mathematics)|<math>F_4</math> symmetry group]].|name=edge rotation planes}} This is possible because some great hexagon planes lie Clifford parallel to some great square planes.{{Efn|Two great circle polygons either intersect in a common axis, or they are Clifford parallel (isoclinic) and share no vertices.{{Efn||name=two angles between central planes}} Three great squares and four great hexagons intersect at each 24-cell vertex. Each great hexagon intersects 9 distinct great squares, 3 in each of its 3 axes, and lies Clifford parallel to the other 9 great squares. Each great square intersects 8 distinct great hexagons, 4 in each of its 2 axes, and lies Clifford parallel to the other 8 great hexagons.|name=hybrid isoclinic planes}}|name=hybrid isoclinic rotation}} Repeated 12 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq7,q1}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[8] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]{{Efn|[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|thumb|200px|The 24-cell as a compound of six non-intersecting great squares {24/6}=6{4}.]]There are 3 sets of 6 disjoint great squares in the 24-cell (of a total of [18] distinct great squares),{{Efn|The 24-cell has 18 great squares, in 3 disjoint sets of 6 mutually orthogonal great squares comprising a 16-cell.{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}} Within each 16-cell are 3 sets of 2 completely orthogonal great squares, so each great square is disjoint not only from all the great squares in the other two 16-cells, but also from one other great square in the same 16-cell. Each great square is disjoint from 13 others, and shares two vertices (an axis) with 4 others (in the same 16-cell).|name=unions of q1 q2 q3}} designated <math>\pm q1</math>, <math>\pm q2</math>, and <math>\pm q3</math>. Each named set{{Efn|Because in the 24-cell each great square is completely orthogonal to another great square, the quaternion groups <math>q1</math> and <math>-{q1}</math> (for example) correspond to the same set of great square planes. That distinct set of 6 disjoint great squares <math>\pm q1</math> has two names, used in the left (or right) rotational context, because it constitutes both a left and a right fibration of great squares.|name=two quaternion group names for square fibrations}} of 6 Clifford parallel{{Efn|name=Clifford parallels}} squares comprises a [[#Chiral symmetry operations|discrete fibration]] covering all 24 vertices.|name=three square fibrations}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q1}</math><br>[8] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(1,0,0,0)</math>
|- style="background: #E6FFEE;{{text color default}};"|
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: #E6FFEE;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/8}=4{6/2}]]{{Efn|name=hexagram}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(3,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7,-q1}</math><br>[8] 4𝝅 {6/2}
|colspan=4|<math>[16]R_{q7,-q1}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[16]R_{q7,-q1}</math> isoclinic rotation in hexagon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex two vertices away (120° {{=}} {{radic|3}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left hexagon rotates 60° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 60° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right square plane.{{Efn|name=hybrid isoclinic rotation}} Repeated 6 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq7,-q1}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[8] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{-q1}</math><br>[8] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(-1,0,0,0)</math>
|- style="background: #E6FFEE;{{text color default}};"|
|{{sfrac|2𝝅|3}}
|120°
|{{radic|3}}
|1.732~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/1}={24}]]<br>[[File:Regular_polygon_24.svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q6,q6}</math><br>[18] 4𝝅 {1}
|colspan=4|<math>[36]R_{q6,q6}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[36]R_{q6,q6}</math> isoclinic rotation in great square invariant planes takes each vertex through a 360° rotation and back to itself (360° {{=}} {{radic|0}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left square rotates 180° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 180° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right square plane. Repeated 2 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq6,q6}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q6}</math><br>[18] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math>{{Efn|The representative coordinate <math>(\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math> is not a vertex of the unit-radius 24-cell in standard (vertex-up) orientation, it is the center of an octahedral cell. Some of the 24-cell's lines of symmetry (Coxeter's "reflecting circles") run through cell centers rather than through vertices, and quaternion group <math>q6</math> corresponds to a set of those. However, <math>q6</math> also corresponds to the set of great squares pictured, which lie orthogonal to those cells (completely disjoint from the cell).{{Efn|A quaternion Cartesian coordinate designates a vertex joined to a ''top vertex'' by one instance of a [[#Hypercubic chords|distinct chord]]. The conventional top vertex of a [[#Great hexagons|unit radius 4-polytope]] in ''cell-first'' orientation is <math>(0,0,\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2})</math>. Thus e.g. <math>(\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math> designates a {{radic|2}} chord of 90° arc-length. Each such distinct chord is an edge of a distinct [[#Geodesics|great circle polygon]], in this example a [[#Great squares|great square]], intersecting the top vertex. Great circle polygons occur in sets of Clifford parallel central planes, each set of disjoint great circles comprising a discrete [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]] that intersects every vertex just once. One great circle polygon in each set intersects the top vertex. This quaternion coordinate <math>(\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math> is thus representative of the 6 disjoint great squares pictured, a quaternion group{{Efn|name=quaternion group}} which comprise one distinct fibration of the [18] great squares (three fibrations of great squares) that occur in the 24-cell.{{Efn|name=three square fibrations}}|name=north cell relative coordinate}}|name=lines of symmetry}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q6}</math><br>[18] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|2𝝅
|360°
|{{radic|0}}
|0
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q6,-q6}</math><br>[18] 4𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>[36]R_{q6,-q6}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[36]R_{q6,-q6}</math> isoclinic rotation in great square invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex 180° {{=}} {{radic|4}} away,{{Efn|name=quaternion group}} without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left square rotates 90° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 90° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right square, ''which in this rotation is the completely orthogonal plane''. Repeated 4 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq6,-q6}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q6}</math><br>[18] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{-q6}</math><br>[18] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(-\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},-\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|𝝅
|180°
|{{radic|4}}
|2
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/9}=3{8/3}]]{{Efn|In this orthogonal projection of the 24-point 24-cell to a [[W:Dodecagon#Related figures|{12/3}{{=}}3{4} dodecagram]], each point represents two vertices, and each line represents multiple {{radic|2}} chords. Each disjoint square can be seen as a skew {8/3} [[W:Octagram|octagram]] with {{radic|2}} edges: two open skew squares with their opposite ends connected in a [[W:Möbius strip|Möbius loop]] with a circumference of 4𝝅, visible in the {24/9}{{=}}3{8/3} orthogonal projection.{{Efn|[[File:Regular_star_figure_3(8,3).svg|thumb|200px|Icositetragon {24/9}{{=}}3{8/3} is a compound of three octagrams {8/3}, as the 24-cell is a compound of three 16-cells.]]This orthogonal projection of a 24-cell to a 24-gram {24/9}{{=}}3{8/3} exhibits 3 disjoint [[16-cell#Helical construction|octagram {8/3} isoclines of a 16-cell]], each of which is a circular isocline path through the 8 vertices of one of the 3 disjoint 16-cells inscribed in the 24-cell.}} The octagram projects to a single square in two dimensions because it skews through all four dimensions. Those 3 disjoint [[16-cell#Helical construction|skew octagram isoclines]] are the circular vertex paths characteristic of an [[#Helical octagrams and their isoclines|isoclinic rotation in great square planes]], in which the 6 Clifford parallel great squares are invariant rotation planes. The great squares rotate 90° like wheels ''and'' 90° orthogonally like coins flipping, displacing each vertex by 180°, so each vertex exchanges places with its antipodal vertex. Each octagram isocline circles through the 8 vertices of a disjoint 16-cell. Alternatively, the 3 squares can be seen as a fibration of 6 Clifford parallel squares.{{Efn|name=three square fibrations}} This illustrates that the 3 octagram isoclines also correspond to a distinct fibration, in fact the ''same'' fibration as 6 squares.|name=octagram}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_3(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q6,-q4}</math><br>[72] 4𝝅 {8/3}
|colspan=4|<math>[144]R_{q6,-q4}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[144]R_{q6,-q4}</math> isoclinic rotation in great square invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex 90° {{=}} {{radic|2}} away, without passing through any intervening vertices.{{Efn|At the mid-point of the isocline arc (45° away) it passes directly over the mid-point of a 24-cell edge.}} Each left square rotates 45° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 45° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right square plane. Repeated 8 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq6,-q4}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q6}</math><br>[72] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},0,0)</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{-q4}</math><br>[72] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(0,0,-\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},-\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2})</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|𝝅
|180°
|{{radic|4}}
|2
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/1}={24}]]<br>[[File:Regular_polygon_24.svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q4,q4}</math><br>[36] 4𝝅 {1}
|colspan=4|<math>[72]R_{q4,q4}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[72]R_{q4,q4}</math> isoclinic rotation in great square invariant planes takes each vertex through a 360° rotation and back to itself (360° {{=}} {{radic|0}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left square rotates 180° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 180° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right square plane. Repeated 2 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq4,q4}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q4}</math><br>[36] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(0,0,\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2})</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q4}</math><br>[36] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(0,0,\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2},\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2})</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|2𝝅
|360°
|{{radic|0}}
|0
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: #E6FFEE;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/2}=2{12}]]{{Efn|name=dodecagon}}<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_2(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q2,q7}</math><br>[48] 4𝝅 {12}
|colspan=4|<math>[96]R_{q2,q7}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[96]R_{q2,q7}</math> isoclinic rotation in great hexagon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex one vertex away (60° {{=}} {{radic|1}} away), without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left square rotates 30° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 30° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right hexagon plane.{{Efn|name=hybrid isoclinic rotation}} Repeated 12 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq2,q7}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q2}</math><br>[48] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(0,0,0,1)</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/4}=4{6}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_4(6,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q7}</math><br>[48] 2𝝅 {6}
|colspan=4|<math>(\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2},\tfrac{1}{2})</math>
|- style="background: #E6FFEE;{{text color default}};"|
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|3}}
|60°
|{{radic|1}}
|1
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q2,-q2}</math><br>[9] 4𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>[18]R_{q2,-q2}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[18]R_{q2,-q2}</math> isoclinic rotation in great square invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex 180° {{=}} {{radic|4}} away,{{Efn|name=quaternion group}} without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left square rotates 90° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 90° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right square plane, ''which in this rotation is the completely orthogonal plane''. Repeated 4 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq2,-q2}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q2}</math><br>[9] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(0,0,0,1)</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/6}=6{4}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_6(4,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{-q2}</math><br>[9] 2𝝅 {4}
|colspan=4|<math>(0,0,0,-1)</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|𝝅
|180°
|{{radic|4}}
|2
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q2,q1}</math><br>[12] 4𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>[12]R_{q2,q1}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[12]R_{q2,q1}</math> isoclinic rotation in great digon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex 90° {{=}} {{radic|2}} away, without passing through any intervening vertices.{{Efn|At the mid-point of the isocline arc (45° away) it passes directly over the mid-point of a 24-cell edge.}} Each left digon rotates 45° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 45° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right digon plane. Repeated 8 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq2,q1}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q2}</math><br>[12] 2𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>(0,0,0,1)</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q1}</math><br>[12] 2𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>(1,0,0,0)</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/1}={24}]]<br>[[File:Regular_polygon_24.svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q1,q1}</math><br>[0] 0𝝅 {1}
|colspan=4|<math>[1]R_{q1,q1}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[1]R_{q1,q1}</math> rotation is the ''identity operation'' of the 24-cell, in which no points move.|name=Rq1,q1}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q1}</math><br>[0] 2𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>(1,0,0,0)</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q1}</math><br>[0] 2𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>(1,0,0,0)</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|0
|0°
|{{radic|0}}
|0
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q1,-q1}</math><br>[12] 2𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>[1]R_{q1,-q1}</math>{{Efn|The <math>[1]R_{q1,-q1}</math> rotation is the ''central inversion'' of the 24-cell. This isoclinic rotation in great digon invariant planes takes each vertex to a vertex 180° {{=}} {{radic|4}} away,{{Efn|name=quaternion group}} without passing through any intervening vertices. Each left digon rotates 90° (like a wheel) at the same time that it tilts sideways by 90° (in an orthogonal central plane) into its corresponding right digon plane, ''which in this rotation is the completely orthogonal plane''. Repeated 4 times, this rotational displacement turns the 24-cell through 720° and returns it to its original orientation.|name=Rq1,-q1}}
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{q1}</math><br>[12] 2𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>(1,0,0,0)</math>
|rowspan=2|[[W:Icositetragon#Related polygons|{24/12}=12{2}]]<br>[[File:Regular_star_figure_12(2,1).svg|100px]]<br><math>^{-q1}</math><br>[12] 2𝝅 {2}
|colspan=4|<math>(-1,0,0,0)</math>
|- style="background: white;{{text color default}};"|
|𝝅
|180°
|{{radic|4}}
|2
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|{{sfrac|𝝅|2}}
|90°
|{{radic|2}}
|1.414~
|-
|colspan=15|Images by Tom Ruen in [[W:Triacontagon#Triacontagram|Triacontagram compounds and stars]].{{Sfn|Ruen: Triacontagon|2011|loc=§Triacontagram compounds and stars}}
|}
In a rotation class <math>[d]{R_{ql,qr}}</math> each quaternion group <math>\pm{q_n}</math> may be representative not only of its own fibration of Clifford parallel planes{{Efn|name=quaternion group}} but also of the other congruent fibrations.{{Efn|name=four hexagonal fibrations}} For example, rotation class <math>[4]R_{q7,q8}</math> takes the 4 hexagon planes of <math>q7</math> to the 4 hexagon planes of <math>q8</math> which are 120° away, in an isoclinic rotation. But in a rigid rotation of this kind,{{Efn|name=invariant planes of an isoclinic rotation}} all [16] hexagon planes move in congruent rotational displacements, so this rotation class also includes <math>[4]R_{-q7,-q8}</math>, <math>[4]R_{q8,q7}</math> and <math>[4]R_{-q8,-q7}</math>. The name <math>[16]R_{q7,q8}</math> is the conventional representation for all [16] congruent plane displacements.
These rotation classes are all subclasses of <math>[32]R_{q7,q8}</math> which has [32] distinct rotational displacements rather than [16] because there are two [[W:Chiral|chiral]] ways to perform any class of rotations, designated its ''left rotations'' and its ''right rotations''. The [16] left displacements of this class are not congruent with the [16] right displacements, but enantiomorphous like a pair of shoes.{{Efn|A ''right rotation'' is performed by rotating the left and right planes in the "same" direction, and a ''left rotation'' is performed by rotating left and right planes in "opposite" directions, according to the [[W:Right hand rule|right hand rule]] by which we conventionally say which way is "up" on each of the 4 coordinate axes. Left and right rotations are [[W:chiral|chiral]] enantiomorphous ''shapes'' (like a pair of shoes), not opposite rotational ''directions''. Both left and right rotations can be performed in either the positive or negative rotational direction (from left planes to right planes, or right planes to left planes), but that is an additional distinction.{{Efn|name=clasped hands}}|name=chirality versus direction}} Each left (or right) isoclinic rotation takes [16] left planes to [16] right planes, but the left and right planes correspond differently in the left and right rotations. The left and right rotational displacements of the same left plane take it to different right planes.
Each rotation class (table row) describes a distinct left (and right) [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]]. The left (or right) rotations carry the left planes to the right planes simultaneously,{{Efn|name=plane movement in rotations}} through a characteristic rotation angle.{{Efn|name=two angles between central planes}} For example, the <math>[32]R_{q7,q8}</math> rotation moves all [16] hexagonal planes at once by {{sfrac|2𝝅|3}} = 120° each. Repeated 6 times, this left (or right) isoclinic rotation moves each plane 720° and back to itself in the same [[W:Orientation entanglement|orientation]], passing through all 4 planes of the <math>q7</math> left set and all 4 planes of the <math>q8</math> right set once each.{{Efn|The <math>\pm q7</math> and <math>\pm q8</math> sets of planes are not disjoint; the union of any two of these four sets is a set of 6 planes. The left (versus right) isoclinic rotation of each of these rotation classes (table rows) visits a distinct left (versus right) circular sequence of the same set of 6 Clifford parallel planes.|name=union of q7 and q8}} The picture in the isocline column represents this union of the left and right plane sets. In the <math>[32]R_{q7,q8}</math> example it can be seen as a set of 4 Clifford parallel skew [[W:Hexagram|hexagram]]s, each having one edge in each great hexagon plane, and skewing to the left (or right) at each vertex throughout the left (or right) isoclinic rotation.{{Efn|name=clasped hands}}
== Conclusions ==
Very few if any of the observations made in this paper are original, as I hope the citations demonstrate, but some new terminology has been introduced in making them. The term '''radially equilateral''' describes a uniform polytope with its edge length equal to its long radius, because such polytopes can be constructed, with their long radii, from equilateral triangles which meet at the center, each contributing two radii and an edge. The use of the noun '''isocline''', for the circular geodesic path traced by a vertex of a 4-polytope undergoing [[#Isoclinic rotations|isoclinic rotation]], may also be new in this context. The chord-path of an isocline may be called the 4-polytope's '''Clifford polygon''', as it is the skew polygonal shape of the rotational circles traversed by the 4-polytope's vertices in its characteristic [[W:Clifford displacement|Clifford displacement]].{{Sfn|Tyrrell|Semple|1971|loc=Linear Systems of Clifford Parallels|pp=34-57}}
== Acknowledgements ==
This paper is an extract of a [[24-cell|24-cell article]] collaboratively developed by Wikipedia editors. This version contains only those sections of the Wikipedia article which I authored, or which I completely rewrote. I have removed those sections principally authored by other Wikipedia editors, and illustrations and tables which I did not create myself, except for three indispensible rotating animations, one created by Greg Egan and two by Wikipedia illustrator [[Wikipedia:User:JasonHise|JasonHise (Jason Hise)]], which I have retained with attribution. Those images and others which appear in my tables and footnotes{{Efn|I am the author of the footnotes to this article, except for quotations and images they contain.}} are from Wikimedia Commons, with attributions; most were created by Wikipedia editor and illustrator [[W:User:Tomruen|Tomruen (Tom Ruen)]]. Consequently, this version is not a complete treatment of the 24-cell; it is missing some essential topics, and it is inadequately illustrated. As a subset of the collaboratively developed [[24-cell|24-cell article]] from which it was extracted, it is intended to gather in one place just what I have personally authored. Even so, it contains small fragments of which I am not the original author, and many editorial improvements by other Wikipedia editors. The original provenance of any sentence in this document may be ascertained precisely by consulting the complete revision history of the [[Wikipedia:24-cell]] article, in which I am identified as Wikipedia editor [[Wikipedia:User:Dc.samizdat|Dc.samizdat]].
Since I came to my own understanding of the 24-cell slowly, in the course of making additions to the [[Wikipedia:24-cell]] article, I am greatly indebted to the Wikipedia editors whose work on it preceded mine. Chief among these is Wikipedia editor [[W:User:Tomruen|Tomruen (Tom Ruen)]], the original author and principal illustrator of a great many of the Wikipedia articles on polytopes. The 24-cell article that I began with was already more accessible, to me, than even Coxeter's ''[[W:Regular Polytopes|Regular Polytopes]]'', or any other source treating the subject. I was inspired by the existence of Wikipedia articles on the 4-polytopes to study them more closely, and then became convinced by my own experience exploring this hypertext that the 4-polytopes could be understood most readily, and could be documented most engagingly and comprehensively, if everything that researchers have discovered about them were incorporated into a single encyclopedic hypertext. Well-illustrated hypertext seems naturally the most appropriate medium in which to describe a hyperspace, such as Euclidean 4-space. Another essential contributor to my dawning comprehension of 4-dimensional geometry was Wikipedia editor [[W:User:Cloudswrest|Cloudswrest (A.P. Goucher)]], who authored the section of the [[Wikipedia:24-cell]] article entitled ''[[24-cell#Cell rings|Cell rings]]'' describing the torus decomposition of the 24-cell into rings forming discrete Hopf fibrations, also studied by Banchoff.{{Sfn|Banchoff|2013|ps=, studied the decomposition of regular 4-polytopes into honeycombs of tori tiling the [[W:Clifford torus|Clifford torus]], showed how the honeycombs correspond to [[W:Hopf fibration|Hopf fibration]]s, and made a particular study of the [[#6-cell rings|24-cell's 4 rings of 6 octahedral cells]] with illustrations.}} Finally, J.E. Mebius's definitive Wikipedia article on ''[[W:SO(4)|SO(4)]]'', the group of ''[[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space]]'', informs this entire paper, which is essentially an explanation of the 24-cell's geometry as a function of its isoclinic rotations.
== Future work ==
This paper is part of the evolving [[Polyscheme#Polyscheme project articles|Polyscheme collection of articles]] hosted at Wikiversity by the [[Polyscheme]] learning project.
The encyclopedia [[Wikipedia:Main_page|Wikipedia]] is not the only appropriate hypertext medium in which to explore and document the fourth dimension. Wikipedia rightly publishes only knowledge that can be sourced to previously published authorities. An encyclopedia cannot function as a research journal, in which is documented the broad, evolving edge of a field of knowledge, well before the observations made there have settled into a consensus of accepted facts. Moreover, an encyclopedia article must not become a textbook, or attempt to be the definitive whole story on a topic, or have too many footnotes! At some point in my enlargement of the [[Wikipedia:24-cell]] article, it began to transgress upon these limits, and other Wikipedia editors began to prune it back, appropriately for an encyclopedia article. I therefore sought out a home for an expanded, more-than-encyclopedic version of it and the other 4-polytope articles I was engaged in editing, where they could be enlarged by active researchers, beyond the scope of the Wikipedia encyclopedia articles.
Fortunately [[Main_page|Wikiversity]] provides just such a medium: an alternate hypertext web compatible with Wikipedia, but without the constraint of consisting of encyclopedia articles alone. A non-profit collaborative space for students, educators and researchers, Wikiversity hosts all kinds of hypertext learning resources, such as hypertext textbooks which enlarge upon topics covered by Wikipedia, and research journals covering various fields of study which accept papers for peer review and publication. A hypertext article hosted at Wikiversity may contain links to any Wikipedia or Wikiversity article. This paper, for example, is hosted at Wikiversity, but most of its links are to Wikipedia encyclopedia articles.
Three consistent versions of the 24-cell article now exist, including this paper. The most complete version is the expanded [[24-cell#24-cell|24-cell article hosted at Wikiversity]] as part of the [[Polyscheme|Polyscheme research project]], which includes everything in the other two versions except these acknowledgments, plus additional learning resources. The original encyclopedia version, the [[Wikipedia:24-cell]] article, should rightly be an abridged version of that expanded Wikiversity [[24-cell]] article, from which extra content inappropriate for an encyclopedia article has been excluded.
== Notes ==
{{Regular convex 4-polytopes Notelist|wiki=W:}}
== Citations ==
{{Regular convex 4-polytopes Reflist|wiki=W:}}
== References ==
{{Refbegin}}
{{Regular convex 4-polytopes Refs|wiki=W:}}
* {{Citation|author-last=Hise|author-first=Jason|date=2011|author-link=W:User:JasonHise|title=A 3D projection of a 24-cell performing a simple rotation|title-link=Wikimedia:File:24-cell.gif|journal=Wikimedia Commons}}
* {{Citation|author-last=Hise|author-first=Jason|date=2007|author-link=W:User:JasonHise|title=A 3D projection of a 24-cell performing a double rotation|title-link=Wikimedia:File:24-cell-orig.gif|journal=Wikimedia Commons}}
* {{Citation|author-last=Egan|author-first=Greg|date=2019|title=A 24-cell containing red, green, and blue 16-cells performing a double rotation|title-link=Wikimedia:File:24-cell-3CP.gif|journal=Wikimedia Commons}}
{{Refend}}
i8xjofpm0ipm5l3amdsio2urka0d1bd
User:Tommy Kronkvist
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Tommy Kronkvist
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<div style="margin: 0 0 1em 0;">{{userpage}}</div>
{{Userboxtop|toptext=Babel:}}
{{#babel:sv|en-4|de-2|la-1}}
{{Userboxbottom}}
[[File:Sorbus torminalis Trunk and canopy.jpg|thumb|300px|The canopy of a Checker tree <small>(''Torminalis glaberrima'')</small>]]<br />
Most of my wiki contributions are made to [[:species:Main Page|Wikispecies]] where I'm an administrator, bureaucrat and interface admin,<small><sup>[https://species.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:ListUsers&limit=1&username=Tommy_Kronkvist (verify)]</sup></small> to the Swedish Wikimedia Chapter [[WMSE:|Wikimedia Sverige]] (WMSE) where I'm an administrator,<small><sup>(<span class="plainlinks">[https://se.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Användare&limit=1&username=Tommy_Kronkvist verify]</span>)</sup></small> and as administrator and interface administrator at the Swedish version of [[wikivoyage:sv:Huvudsida|Wikivoyage]].<small><sup>(<span class="plainlinks">[https://sv.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?title=Special:ListUsers&limit=1&username=Tommy_Kronkvist verify]</span>)</sup></small>
So far (April 20, 2026), I've made just over 391,400 edits to 153 of the Wikimedia sister projects – the majority of them to Wikispecies and Wikidata. My global account information for all of Wikimedia can be found [[meta:Special:CentralAuth/Tommy Kronkvist|here]].
Swedish is my mother tongue – even though I was born in Finland – but I feel comfortable speaking and writing English and to some extent in German as well. Odd as it may seem, unfortunately I can't speak any Finnish even though I went to school there for a few years prior to moving to Sweden (see [[w:Swedish-speaking population of Finland|Swedish-speaking population of Finland]] in Wikipedia). I've lived all over Sweden but nowadays reside in Uppsala, the fourth biggest city and former capital of Sweden.
I'm only the fourth generation named "Kronkvist". My family name consists of two parts: ''kron'' – a short form of the Swedish word ''krona'' meaning 'crown', as in coronation crown or tree crown – and ''kvist'', meaning 'bough' or 'twig'. Hence the name ''Kronkvist'' refers to a twig in the canopy of a forest. I'm the fourth generation of Kronkvist's. Prior to that our family name was ''Mattus'': an oeconym meaning "Matthew's Farm", dating back to at least 1637.
{{Clear}}
{{User committed identity|a6edd6d2fdbf82621f0cda4e5525c71f8da9b5dfd308242c3c63365e998c32c5406b75448380903265a5403edffd1a0435b61ac943f3c65870db9250f8b884a9|SHA-512|background=#e0e8ff|border=e0e8ff}}
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User:Dc.samizdat/Golden chords of the 120-cell
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{{align|center|David Brooks Christie}}
{{align|center|dc@samizdat.org}}
{{align|center|Draft in progress}}
{{align|center|January 2026 - April 2026}}
<blockquote>We observe that these findings in plane geometry apply more generally, to polytopes of any dimensionality.</blockquote>
== Introduction ==
Steinbach discovered the Diagonal Product Formula and the Golden Fields family of ratios of diagonal to side in the regular polygons. He showed how this family extends beyond the pentagon {5} with its well-known golden bisection proportional to 𝜙, finding that the heptagon {7} has an analogous trisection, the nonagon {9} has an analogous quadrasection, and the hendecagon {11} has an analogous pentasection, an extended family of golden proportions with quasiperiodic properties. Kappraff and Adamson extended these findings in plane geometry to a theory of Generalized Fibonacci Sequences, showing that the Golden Fields not only do not end with the hendecagon, they form an infinite number of periodic trajectories when operated on by the Mandelbrot operator. They found a relation between the edges of star polygons and dynamical systems in the state of chaos, revealing a connection between chaos theory, number, and rotations in Coxeter Euclidean geometry. Fontaine and Hurley examined Steinbach's finding that the length of each chord of a regular polygon is both the product of two smaller chords and the sum of a set of smaller chords, so that in rotations to add is to multiply. They illustrated Steinbach's sets of additive chords lying parallel to each other in the plane (pointing in the same direction), and by applying Steinbach's formula more generally they found another summation relation of signed parallel chords (pointing in opposite directions) which relates each chord length to its reciprocal, and relates the summation to a distinct star polygon rotation. We examine these remarkable findings (which stem from study of the chords of humble regular polygons) in higher-dimensional spaces, specifically in the chords, polygons and rotations of the 120-cell, the largest four-dimensional regular convex polytope.
== Thirty distinguished distances ==
The 30 numbers listed in the table are all-important in Euclidean geometry. A case can be made on symmetry grounds that their squares are the 30 most important numbers between 0 and 4. The 30 rows of the table are the 30 discrete chord lengths of the unit-radius 120-cell, the largest regular convex 4-polytope. Since the 120-cell subsumes all smaller regular polytopes, its 30 chords are the complete chord set of all the regular polytopes that can be constructed in the first four dimensions of Euclidean space, except for regular polygons of more than 15 sides. These chords may be considered the 30 most significant discrete distances in geometry.
{| class="wikitable" style="white-space:nowrap;text-align:center"
!rowspan=2|<math>c_t</math>
!rowspan=2|arc
!rowspan=2|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{n}\right\}</math></small>
!rowspan=2|<math>\left\{p\right\}</math>
!rowspan=2|<small><math>m\left\{\frac{k}{d}\right\}</math></small>
!rowspan=2|Steinbach roots
!colspan=7|Chord lengths of the unit 120-cell
|-
!colspan=5|unit-radius length <math>c_t</math>
!colspan=2|unit-edge length <math>c_t/c_1</math><br>in 120-cell of radius <math>c_8=\sqrt{2}\phi^2</math>
|-
|<small><math>c_{1,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>15.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{30\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{30\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>c_{4,1}-c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7-3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.270091</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2} \phi ^2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2 \phi ^4}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.072949}</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1.</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>25.2{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>2 \left\{15\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(c_{18,1}-c_{4,1}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{3-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.437016</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2} \phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2 \phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.190983}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi </math></small>
|<small><math>1.61803</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{3,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>36{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{10\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>3 \left\{\frac{10}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(\sqrt{5}-1\right) c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(\sqrt{5}-1\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>0.618034</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.381966}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>2.28825</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>41.4{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{c_{8,1}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.707107</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.61803</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{5,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>44.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{4}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>2 \left\{\frac{15}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{9-3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.756934</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}}{\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2 \phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.572949}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>2.80252</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{6,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>49.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{17}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{5-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{5-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.831254</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\sqrt{5}}{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.690983}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>3.07768</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{7,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>56.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{20}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{\phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.93913</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{\psi }{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.881966}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\psi \phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>3.47709</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>60{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{6\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{6\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1.</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>3.70246</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{9,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>66.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{40}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{2 \phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.09132</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{\chi }{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\chi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.19098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\chi \phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>4.04057</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{10,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>69.8{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2 \sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.14412</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\phi }{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\phi ^2}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>4.23607</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{11,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>72{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{6}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{5\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{5\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.17557</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3-\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3-\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.38197}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \sqrt{3-\phi } \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.3525</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{12,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>75.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{24}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.22474</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.53457</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{13,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>81.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.30038</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(9-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.69098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(9-\sqrt{5}\right)} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.8146</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{14,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>84.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{40}{9}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi } c_{8,1}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{1+\sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.345</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi }}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\sqrt{5} \phi }{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>4.9798</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{15,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>90.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{4\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{4\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.41421</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>5.23607</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{16,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>95.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{29}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.4802</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(11-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.19098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(11-\sqrt{5}\right)} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>5.48037</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{17,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>98.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{31}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.51954</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(7+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\psi \phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>5.62605</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{18,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>104.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{8}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{15}{4}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.58114</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{5} \sqrt{\phi ^4}</math></small>
|<small><math>5.8541</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{19,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>108.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{9}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{10}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>c_{3,1}+c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(1+\sqrt{5}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>1.61803</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi </math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1+\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.61803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>5.9907</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{20,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>110.2{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.64042</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(13-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.69098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\phi ^2}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.07359</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{21,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>113.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{19}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.67601</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{\chi }{\phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.20537</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{22,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>120{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{10}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{3\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{3\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.73205</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{6} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>6.41285</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{23,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>124.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{41}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }+\frac{5}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.7658</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4-\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4-\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.11803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\chi \phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.53779</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{24,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>130.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{20}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.81907</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(11+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{\sqrt{5}}{\phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.73503</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{25,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>135.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+3 \sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.85123</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\phi ^2}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\phi ^4}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.42705}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^4</math></small>
|<small><math>6.8541</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{26,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>138.6{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{12}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.87083</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{7} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>6.92667</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{27,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>144{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{12}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{5}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(5+\sqrt{5}\right)} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(5+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.90211</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\phi +2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2+\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.61803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{2 \phi +4}</math></small>
|<small><math>7.0425</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{28,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>154.8{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.95167</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(13+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{1}{\phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>7.22598</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{29,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>164.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{14}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{15}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi c_{12,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} \left(1+\sqrt{5}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>1.98168</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3 \phi ^2}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.92705}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>7.33708</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{30,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>180{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{15}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{2\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{2\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.</math></small>
|<small><math>2</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4.}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 \sqrt{2} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>7.40492</math></small>
|-
|rowspan=4 colspan=6|
|rowspan=4 colspan=4|
<small><math>\phi</math></small> is the golden ratio:<br>
<small><math>\phi ^2-\phi -1=0</math></small><br>
<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }+1=\phi</math></small>, and: <small><math>\phi+1=\phi^2</math></small><br>
<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }::1::\phi ::\phi ^2</math></small><br>
<small><math>1/\phi</math></small> and <small><math>\phi</math></small> are the golden sections of <small><math>\sqrt{5}</math></small>:<br>
<small><math>\phi +\frac{1}{\phi }=\sqrt{5}</math></small>
|colspan=2|<small><math>\phi = (\sqrt{5} + 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>1.618034</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\chi = (3\sqrt{5} + 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>3.854102</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\psi = (3\sqrt{5} - 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.854102</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\psi = 11/\chi = 22/(3\sqrt{5} + 1)</math></small>
|<small><math>2.854102</math></small>
|}
...
== 8-point regular polytopes ==
In 2-space we have the regular 8-point octagon, in 3-space the regular 8-point cube, and in 4-space the regular 8-point 16-cell.
A planar octagon with rigid edges of unit length has chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1,r_2=\sqrt{2+\sqrt{2}} \approx 1.84776,r_3=1+\sqrt{2} \approx 2.41421,r_4=\sqrt{4 + \sqrt{8}} \approx 2.61313</math>
The chord ratio <math>r_3=1+\sqrt{2}</math> is a geometrical proportion, the [[W:Silver ratio|silver ratio]]. Fontaine and Hurley's procedure for obtaining the reciprocal of a chord tells us that:
:<math>r_3-r_1-r_1=1/r_3 \approx 0.41421</math>
Notice that <math>1/r_3=\sqrt{2}-1=r_3-2</math>.
If we embed this planar octagon in 3-space, we can fold it to reposition its vertices so that each is one unit-edge-length distant from three others instead of two others, so we obtain a unit-edge cube with chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1, r_2=\sqrt{2}, r_3=\sqrt{3}, r_4=\sqrt{2}</math>
If we embed this cube in 4-space, we can fold it to reposition its vertices so that each is one unit-edge-length distant from six others instead of three others, so we obtain a unit-edge 4-polytope with chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1,r_2=1,r_3=1,r_4=\sqrt{2}</math>
All of its chords except its long diameters are the same unit length as its edge. In fact they are its 24 edges, and it is a 16-cell of radius <small><math>1/\sqrt{2}</math></small>.
The [[16-cell]] is the [[W:Regular convex 4-polytope|regular convex 4-polytope]] with [[W:Schläfli symbol|Schläfli symbol]] {3,3,4}. It has 8 vertices, 24 edges, 32 equilateral triangle faces, and 16 regular tetrahedron cells. It is the [[16-cell#Octahedral dipyramid|four-dimensional analogue of the octahedron]].
The only planar regular polygons found in the 16-cell are face triangles and central plane squares, but the 16-cell also contains a regular skew octagon, its [[W:Petrie polygon|Petrie polygon]]. The chords of this regular octagon, which lies skew in 4-space, are those given above for the 16-cell, as opposed to those for the cube or the regular octagon in the plane. The 16-cell has 3 such Petrie octagons, which share the same 8 vertices but have disjoint sets of 8 edges each.
The regular octad has higher symmetry in 4-space than it does in 2-space. The 16-cell is the 4-orthoplex, the simplest regular 4-polytope after the [[5-cell|4-simplex]]. All the larger regular 4-polytopes are compounds of the 16-cell. The regular octagon exhibits this high symmetry only when embedded in 4-space at the vertices of the 16-cell.
The 16-cell constitutes an [[W:Orthonormal basis|orthonormal basis]] for the choice of a 4-dimensional Cartesian reference frame, because its vertices define four orthogonal axes. The eight vertices of a unit-radius 16-cell are (±1, 0, 0, 0), (0, ±1, 0, 0), (0, 0, ±1, 0), (0, 0, 0, ±1). All vertices are connected by <small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small> edges except opposite pairs.
The vertex coordinates form 6 [[W:Orthogonal|orthogonal]] central squares lying in 6 coordinate planes. Great squares in ''opposite'' planes that do not share an axis (e.g. in the ''xy'' and ''wz'' planes) are completely disjoint (they do not intersect at any vertices). These planes are [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]].{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}}
[[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space]] can be seen as the composition of two 2-dimensional rotations in completely orthogonal planes. The general rotation in 4-space is a double rotation in pairs of completely orthogonal invariant rotation planes. The two completely orthogonal rotations are independent, in that they are not geometrically constrained to turn at the same rate, but the most circular kind of rotation (as opposed to an elliptical double rotation) occurs when the completely orthogonal planes do rotate through the same angle in the same time interval. Such equi-angled double rotations are called isoclinic.
The 16-cell is the simplest possible frame in which to [[16-cell#Rotations|observe 4-dimensional rotations]] because each of the 16-cell's 6 great square planes has just one other completely orthogonal great square plane. In the 16-cell an isoclinic rotation by 90° of any pair of completely orthogonal square central planes takes every square central plane to its completely orthogonal square central plane, and every vertex to the position 180° degrees away.
== Hypercubes ==
The long diameter of the unit-edge [[W:Hypercube|hypercube]] of dimension <small><math>n</math></small> is <small><math>\sqrt{n}</math></small>, so the unit-edge [[w:Tesseract|4-cube (the 8-cell tesseract)]] has chords:
:<math>r_1=\sqrt{1},r_2=\sqrt{2},r_3=\sqrt{3},r_4=\sqrt{4}</math>
Uniquely in its 4-dimensional case, the hypercube's edge length equals its radius, like the hexagon. We call such polytopes ''radially equilateral'', because they can be constructed from equilateral triangles which meet at their center, each contributing two radii and an edge.
== Conclusions ==
Fontaine and Hurley's discovery is more than a formula for the reciprocal of a regular ''n''-polygon diagonal. It also yields the discrete sequence of isocline chords of the distinct isoclinic rotation characteristic of a ''d''-dimensional regular polytope. The characteristic rotational chord sequence of the ''d''-polytope can also be represented geometrically in two dimensions on a distinct star ''n''-polygon, but it lies on a geodesic circle through ''d''-dimensional space. Fontaine and Hurley discovered the geodesic topology of polytopes generally. Their procedure will reveal the geodesics of arbitrary non-uniform polytopes, since it can be applied to a polytope of any dimensionality and irregularity, by first fitting the polytope to the smallest regular polygon whose chords include its chords.
Fontaine and Hurley's discovery of a chordal formula for isoclinic rotations closes the circuit on Kappraff and Adamson's discovery of a rotational connection between dynamical systems, Steinbach's golden fields, and Coxeter's Euclidean geometry of ''n'' dimensions. Application of the Fontaine and Hurley procedure in higher-dimensional spaces demonstrates why the connection exists: because polytope sequences generally, from Steinbach's golden polygon chords to subsumption relations among 4-polytopes, arise as expressions of the reflections and rotations of distinct Coxeter symmetry groups, when those various groups interact.
== Appendix: Sequence of regular 4-polytopes ==
{{Regular convex 4-polytopes|wiki=W:|columns=7}}
== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}
== Citations ==
{{Reflist}}
== References ==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{Cite journal | last=Steinbach | first=Peter | year=1997 | title=Golden fields: A case for the Heptagon | journal=Mathematics Magazine | volume=70 | issue=Feb 1997 | pages=22–31 | doi=10.1080/0025570X.1997.11996494 | jstor=2691048 | ref={{SfnRef|Steinbach|1997}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last=Steinbach | first=Peter | year=2000 | title=Sections Beyond Golden| journal=Bridges: Mathematical Connections in Art, Music and Science | issue=2000 | pages=35-44 | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2000/bridges2000-35.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Steinbach|2000}}}}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Kappraff | first1=Jay | last2=Jablan | first2=Slavik | last3=Adamson | first3=Gary | last4=Sazdanovich | first4=Radmila | year=2004 | title=Golden Fields, Generalized Fibonacci Sequences, and Chaotic Matrices | journal=Forma | volume=19 | pages=367-387 | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2005/bridges2005-369.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Kappraff, Jablan, Adamson & Sazdanovich|2004}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Kappraff | first1=Jay | last2=Adamson | first2=Gary | year=2004 | title=Polygons and Chaos | journal=Dynamical Systems and Geometric Theories | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2001/bridges2001-67.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Kappraff & Adamson|2004}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Fontaine | first1=Anne | last2=Hurley | first2=Susan | year=2006 | title=Proof by Picture: Products and Reciprocals of Diagonal Length Ratios in the Regular Polygon | journal=Forum Geometricorum | volume=6 | pages=97-101 | url=https://scispace.com/pdf/proof-by-picture-products-and-reciprocals-of-diagonal-length-1aian8mgp9.pdf }}
{{Refend}}
i7vy8e7yb45bx3d4kxeuax557sl6aul
2805683
2805682
2026-04-20T19:46:05Z
Dc.samizdat
2856930
/* Introduction */
2805683
wikitext
text/x-wiki
{{align|center|David Brooks Christie}}
{{align|center|dc@samizdat.org}}
{{align|center|Draft in progress}}
{{align|center|January 2026 - April 2026}}
<blockquote>We observe that these findings in plane geometry apply more generally, to polytopes of any dimensionality.</blockquote>
== Introduction ==
Steinbach discovered the Diagonal Product Formula and the Golden Fields family of ratios of diagonal to side in the regular polygons. He showed how this family extends beyond the pentagon {5} with its well-known golden bisection proportional to 𝜙, finding that the heptagon {7} has an analogous trisection, the nonagon {9} has an analogous quadrasection, and the hendecagon {11} has an analogous pentasection, an extended family of golden proportions with quasiperiodic properties.
Kappraff and Adamson extended these findings in plane geometry to a theory of Generalized Fibonacci Sequences, showing that the Golden Fields not only do not end with the hendecagon, they form an infinite number of periodic trajectories when operated on by the Mandelbrot operator. They found a relation between the edges of star polygons and dynamical systems in the state of chaos, revealing a connection between chaos theory, number, and rotations in Coxeter Euclidean geometry.
Fontaine and Hurley examined Steinbach's finding that the length of each chord of a regular polygon is both the product of two smaller chords and the sum of a set of smaller chords, so that in rotations to add is to multiply. They illustrated Steinbach's sets of additive chords lying parallel to each other in the plane (pointing in the same direction), and by applying Steinbach's formula more generally they found another summation relation of signed parallel chords (pointing in opposite directions) which relates each chord length to its reciprocal, and relates the summation to a distinct star polygon rotation.
We examine these remarkable findings (which stem from study of the chords of humble regular polygons) in higher-dimensional spaces, specifically in the chords, polygons and rotations of the 120-cell, the largest four-dimensional regular convex polytope.
== Thirty distinguished distances ==
The 30 numbers listed in the table are all-important in Euclidean geometry. A case can be made on symmetry grounds that their squares are the 30 most important numbers between 0 and 4. The 30 rows of the table are the 30 discrete chord lengths of the unit-radius 120-cell, the largest regular convex 4-polytope. Since the 120-cell subsumes all smaller regular polytopes, its 30 chords are the complete chord set of all the regular polytopes that can be constructed in the first four dimensions of Euclidean space, except for regular polygons of more than 15 sides. These chords may be considered the 30 most significant discrete distances in geometry.
{| class="wikitable" style="white-space:nowrap;text-align:center"
!rowspan=2|<math>c_t</math>
!rowspan=2|arc
!rowspan=2|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{n}\right\}</math></small>
!rowspan=2|<math>\left\{p\right\}</math>
!rowspan=2|<small><math>m\left\{\frac{k}{d}\right\}</math></small>
!rowspan=2|Steinbach roots
!colspan=7|Chord lengths of the unit 120-cell
|-
!colspan=5|unit-radius length <math>c_t</math>
!colspan=2|unit-edge length <math>c_t/c_1</math><br>in 120-cell of radius <math>c_8=\sqrt{2}\phi^2</math>
|-
|<small><math>c_{1,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>15.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{30\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{30\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>c_{4,1}-c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7-3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.270091</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2} \phi ^2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2 \phi ^4}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.072949}</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1.</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>25.2{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>2 \left\{15\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(c_{18,1}-c_{4,1}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{3-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.437016</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2} \phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2 \phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.190983}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi </math></small>
|<small><math>1.61803</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{3,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>36{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{10\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>3 \left\{\frac{10}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(\sqrt{5}-1\right) c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(\sqrt{5}-1\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>0.618034</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.381966}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>2.28825</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>41.4{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{c_{8,1}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.707107</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.61803</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{5,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>44.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{4}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>2 \left\{\frac{15}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{9-3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.756934</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}}{\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2 \phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.572949}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>2.80252</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{6,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>49.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{17}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{5-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{5-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.831254</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\sqrt{5}}{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.690983}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>3.07768</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{7,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>56.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{20}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{\phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.93913</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{\psi }{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.881966}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\psi \phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>3.47709</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>60{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{6\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{6\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1.</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>3.70246</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{9,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>66.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{40}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{2 \phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.09132</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{\chi }{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\chi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.19098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\chi \phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>4.04057</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{10,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>69.8{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2 \sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.14412</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\phi }{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\phi ^2}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>4.23607</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{11,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>72{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{6}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{5\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{5\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.17557</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3-\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3-\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.38197}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \sqrt{3-\phi } \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.3525</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{12,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>75.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{24}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.22474</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.53457</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{13,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>81.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.30038</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(9-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.69098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(9-\sqrt{5}\right)} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.8146</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{14,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>84.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{40}{9}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi } c_{8,1}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{1+\sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.345</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi }}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\sqrt{5} \phi }{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>4.9798</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{15,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>90.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{4\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{4\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.41421</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>5.23607</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{16,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>95.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{29}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.4802</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(11-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.19098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(11-\sqrt{5}\right)} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>5.48037</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{17,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>98.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{31}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.51954</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(7+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\psi \phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>5.62605</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{18,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>104.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{8}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{15}{4}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.58114</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{5} \sqrt{\phi ^4}</math></small>
|<small><math>5.8541</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{19,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>108.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{9}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{10}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>c_{3,1}+c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(1+\sqrt{5}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>1.61803</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi </math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1+\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.61803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>5.9907</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{20,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>110.2{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.64042</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(13-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.69098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\phi ^2}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.07359</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{21,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>113.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{19}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.67601</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{\chi }{\phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.20537</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{22,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>120{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{10}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{3\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{3\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.73205</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{6} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>6.41285</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{23,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>124.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{41}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }+\frac{5}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.7658</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4-\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4-\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.11803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\chi \phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.53779</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{24,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>130.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{20}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.81907</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(11+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{\sqrt{5}}{\phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.73503</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{25,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>135.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+3 \sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.85123</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\phi ^2}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\phi ^4}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.42705}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^4</math></small>
|<small><math>6.8541</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{26,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>138.6{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{12}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.87083</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{7} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>6.92667</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{27,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>144{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{12}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{5}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(5+\sqrt{5}\right)} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(5+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.90211</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\phi +2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2+\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.61803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{2 \phi +4}</math></small>
|<small><math>7.0425</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{28,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>154.8{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.95167</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(13+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{1}{\phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>7.22598</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{29,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>164.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{14}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{15}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi c_{12,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} \left(1+\sqrt{5}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>1.98168</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3 \phi ^2}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.92705}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>7.33708</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{30,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>180{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{15}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{2\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{2\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.</math></small>
|<small><math>2</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4.}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 \sqrt{2} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>7.40492</math></small>
|-
|rowspan=4 colspan=6|
|rowspan=4 colspan=4|
<small><math>\phi</math></small> is the golden ratio:<br>
<small><math>\phi ^2-\phi -1=0</math></small><br>
<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }+1=\phi</math></small>, and: <small><math>\phi+1=\phi^2</math></small><br>
<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }::1::\phi ::\phi ^2</math></small><br>
<small><math>1/\phi</math></small> and <small><math>\phi</math></small> are the golden sections of <small><math>\sqrt{5}</math></small>:<br>
<small><math>\phi +\frac{1}{\phi }=\sqrt{5}</math></small>
|colspan=2|<small><math>\phi = (\sqrt{5} + 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>1.618034</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\chi = (3\sqrt{5} + 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>3.854102</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\psi = (3\sqrt{5} - 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.854102</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\psi = 11/\chi = 22/(3\sqrt{5} + 1)</math></small>
|<small><math>2.854102</math></small>
|}
...
== 8-point regular polytopes ==
In 2-space we have the regular 8-point octagon, in 3-space the regular 8-point cube, and in 4-space the regular 8-point 16-cell.
A planar octagon with rigid edges of unit length has chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1,r_2=\sqrt{2+\sqrt{2}} \approx 1.84776,r_3=1+\sqrt{2} \approx 2.41421,r_4=\sqrt{4 + \sqrt{8}} \approx 2.61313</math>
The chord ratio <math>r_3=1+\sqrt{2}</math> is a geometrical proportion, the [[W:Silver ratio|silver ratio]]. Fontaine and Hurley's procedure for obtaining the reciprocal of a chord tells us that:
:<math>r_3-r_1-r_1=1/r_3 \approx 0.41421</math>
Notice that <math>1/r_3=\sqrt{2}-1=r_3-2</math>.
If we embed this planar octagon in 3-space, we can fold it to reposition its vertices so that each is one unit-edge-length distant from three others instead of two others, so we obtain a unit-edge cube with chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1, r_2=\sqrt{2}, r_3=\sqrt{3}, r_4=\sqrt{2}</math>
If we embed this cube in 4-space, we can fold it to reposition its vertices so that each is one unit-edge-length distant from six others instead of three others, so we obtain a unit-edge 4-polytope with chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1,r_2=1,r_3=1,r_4=\sqrt{2}</math>
All of its chords except its long diameters are the same unit length as its edge. In fact they are its 24 edges, and it is a 16-cell of radius <small><math>1/\sqrt{2}</math></small>.
The [[16-cell]] is the [[W:Regular convex 4-polytope|regular convex 4-polytope]] with [[W:Schläfli symbol|Schläfli symbol]] {3,3,4}. It has 8 vertices, 24 edges, 32 equilateral triangle faces, and 16 regular tetrahedron cells. It is the [[16-cell#Octahedral dipyramid|four-dimensional analogue of the octahedron]].
The only planar regular polygons found in the 16-cell are face triangles and central plane squares, but the 16-cell also contains a regular skew octagon, its [[W:Petrie polygon|Petrie polygon]]. The chords of this regular octagon, which lies skew in 4-space, are those given above for the 16-cell, as opposed to those for the cube or the regular octagon in the plane. The 16-cell has 3 such Petrie octagons, which share the same 8 vertices but have disjoint sets of 8 edges each.
The regular octad has higher symmetry in 4-space than it does in 2-space. The 16-cell is the 4-orthoplex, the simplest regular 4-polytope after the [[5-cell|4-simplex]]. All the larger regular 4-polytopes are compounds of the 16-cell. The regular octagon exhibits this high symmetry only when embedded in 4-space at the vertices of the 16-cell.
The 16-cell constitutes an [[W:Orthonormal basis|orthonormal basis]] for the choice of a 4-dimensional Cartesian reference frame, because its vertices define four orthogonal axes. The eight vertices of a unit-radius 16-cell are (±1, 0, 0, 0), (0, ±1, 0, 0), (0, 0, ±1, 0), (0, 0, 0, ±1). All vertices are connected by <small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small> edges except opposite pairs.
The vertex coordinates form 6 [[W:Orthogonal|orthogonal]] central squares lying in 6 coordinate planes. Great squares in ''opposite'' planes that do not share an axis (e.g. in the ''xy'' and ''wz'' planes) are completely disjoint (they do not intersect at any vertices). These planes are [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]].{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}}
[[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space]] can be seen as the composition of two 2-dimensional rotations in completely orthogonal planes. The general rotation in 4-space is a double rotation in pairs of completely orthogonal invariant rotation planes. The two completely orthogonal rotations are independent, in that they are not geometrically constrained to turn at the same rate, but the most circular kind of rotation (as opposed to an elliptical double rotation) occurs when the completely orthogonal planes do rotate through the same angle in the same time interval. Such equi-angled double rotations are called isoclinic.
The 16-cell is the simplest possible frame in which to [[16-cell#Rotations|observe 4-dimensional rotations]] because each of the 16-cell's 6 great square planes has just one other completely orthogonal great square plane. In the 16-cell an isoclinic rotation by 90° of any pair of completely orthogonal square central planes takes every square central plane to its completely orthogonal square central plane, and every vertex to the position 180° degrees away.
== Hypercubes ==
The long diameter of the unit-edge [[W:Hypercube|hypercube]] of dimension <small><math>n</math></small> is <small><math>\sqrt{n}</math></small>, so the unit-edge [[w:Tesseract|4-cube (the 8-cell tesseract)]] has chords:
:<math>r_1=\sqrt{1},r_2=\sqrt{2},r_3=\sqrt{3},r_4=\sqrt{4}</math>
Uniquely in its 4-dimensional case, the hypercube's edge length equals its radius, like the hexagon. We call such polytopes ''radially equilateral'', because they can be constructed from equilateral triangles which meet at their center, each contributing two radii and an edge.
== Conclusions ==
Fontaine and Hurley's discovery is more than a formula for the reciprocal of a regular ''n''-polygon diagonal. It also yields the discrete sequence of isocline chords of the distinct isoclinic rotation characteristic of a ''d''-dimensional regular polytope. The characteristic rotational chord sequence of the ''d''-polytope can also be represented geometrically in two dimensions on a distinct star ''n''-polygon, but it lies on a geodesic circle through ''d''-dimensional space. Fontaine and Hurley discovered the geodesic topology of polytopes generally. Their procedure will reveal the geodesics of arbitrary non-uniform polytopes, since it can be applied to a polytope of any dimensionality and irregularity, by first fitting the polytope to the smallest regular polygon whose chords include its chords.
Fontaine and Hurley's discovery of a chordal formula for isoclinic rotations closes the circuit on Kappraff and Adamson's discovery of a rotational connection between dynamical systems, Steinbach's golden fields, and Coxeter's Euclidean geometry of ''n'' dimensions. Application of the Fontaine and Hurley procedure in higher-dimensional spaces demonstrates why the connection exists: because polytope sequences generally, from Steinbach's golden polygon chords to subsumption relations among 4-polytopes, arise as expressions of the reflections and rotations of distinct Coxeter symmetry groups, when those various groups interact.
== Appendix: Sequence of regular 4-polytopes ==
{{Regular convex 4-polytopes|wiki=W:|columns=7}}
== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}
== Citations ==
{{Reflist}}
== References ==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{Cite journal | last=Steinbach | first=Peter | year=1997 | title=Golden fields: A case for the Heptagon | journal=Mathematics Magazine | volume=70 | issue=Feb 1997 | pages=22–31 | doi=10.1080/0025570X.1997.11996494 | jstor=2691048 | ref={{SfnRef|Steinbach|1997}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last=Steinbach | first=Peter | year=2000 | title=Sections Beyond Golden| journal=Bridges: Mathematical Connections in Art, Music and Science | issue=2000 | pages=35-44 | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2000/bridges2000-35.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Steinbach|2000}}}}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Kappraff | first1=Jay | last2=Jablan | first2=Slavik | last3=Adamson | first3=Gary | last4=Sazdanovich | first4=Radmila | year=2004 | title=Golden Fields, Generalized Fibonacci Sequences, and Chaotic Matrices | journal=Forma | volume=19 | pages=367-387 | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2005/bridges2005-369.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Kappraff, Jablan, Adamson & Sazdanovich|2004}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Kappraff | first1=Jay | last2=Adamson | first2=Gary | year=2004 | title=Polygons and Chaos | journal=Dynamical Systems and Geometric Theories | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2001/bridges2001-67.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Kappraff & Adamson|2004}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Fontaine | first1=Anne | last2=Hurley | first2=Susan | year=2006 | title=Proof by Picture: Products and Reciprocals of Diagonal Length Ratios in the Regular Polygon | journal=Forum Geometricorum | volume=6 | pages=97-101 | url=https://scispace.com/pdf/proof-by-picture-products-and-reciprocals-of-diagonal-length-1aian8mgp9.pdf }}
{{Refend}}
l3fbof7jmjle5aqv8w75g8w8fmwubj3
2805687
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2026-04-20T20:05:58Z
Dc.samizdat
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2805687
wikitext
text/x-wiki
{{align|center|David Brooks Christie}}
{{align|center|dc@samizdat.org}}
{{align|center|Draft in progress}}
{{align|center|January 2026 - April 2026}}
<blockquote>Steinbach discovered the formula for the ratios of diagonal to side in the regular polygons. Fontaine and Hurley extended this result, discovering a formula for the reciprocal of a regular polygon chord derived geometrically from the chord's distinct star polygon. We observe that these findings in plane geometry apply more generally, to polytopes of any dimensionality. Fontaine and Hurley's geometric procedure for finding the reciprocals of the chords of a regular polygon from their regular star polygons also finds the rotational geodesics of any polytope of any dimensionality.</blockquote>
== Introduction ==
Steinbach discovered the Diagonal Product Formula and the Golden Fields family of ratios of diagonal to side in the regular polygons. He showed how this family extends beyond the pentagon {5} with its well-known golden bisection proportional to 𝜙, finding that the heptagon {7} has an analogous trisection, the nonagon {9} has an analogous quadrasection, and the hendecagon {11} has an analogous pentasection, an extended family of golden proportions with quasiperiodic properties.
Kappraff and Adamson extended these findings in plane geometry to a theory of Generalized Fibonacci Sequences, showing that the Golden Fields not only do not end with the hendecagon, they form an infinite number of periodic trajectories when operated on by the Mandelbrot operator. They found a relation between the edges of star polygons and dynamical systems in the state of chaos, revealing a connection between chaos theory, number, and rotations in Coxeter Euclidean geometry.
Fontaine and Hurley examined Steinbach's finding that the length of each chord of a regular polygon is both the product of two smaller chords and the sum of a set of smaller chords, so that in rotations to add is to multiply. They illustrated Steinbach's sets of additive chords lying parallel to each other in the plane (pointing in the same direction), and by applying Steinbach's formula more generally they found another summation relation of signed parallel chords (pointing in opposite directions) which relates each chord length to its reciprocal, and relates the summation to a distinct star polygon rotation.
We examine these remarkable findings (which stem from study of the chords of humble regular polygons) in higher-dimensional spaces, specifically in the chords, polygons and rotations of the 120-cell, the largest four-dimensional regular convex polytope.
== Thirty distinguished distances ==
The 30 numbers listed in the table are all-important in Euclidean geometry. A case can be made on symmetry grounds that their squares are the 30 most important numbers between 0 and 4. The 30 rows of the table are the 30 discrete chord lengths of the unit-radius 120-cell, the largest regular convex 4-polytope. Since the 120-cell subsumes all smaller regular polytopes, its 30 chords are the complete chord set of all the regular polytopes that can be constructed in the first four dimensions of Euclidean space, except for regular polygons of more than 15 sides. These chords may be considered the 30 most significant discrete distances in geometry.
{| class="wikitable" style="white-space:nowrap;text-align:center"
!rowspan=2|<math>c_t</math>
!rowspan=2|arc
!rowspan=2|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{n}\right\}</math></small>
!rowspan=2|<math>\left\{p\right\}</math>
!rowspan=2|<small><math>m\left\{\frac{k}{d}\right\}</math></small>
!rowspan=2|Steinbach roots
!colspan=7|Chord lengths of the unit 120-cell
|-
!colspan=5|unit-radius length <math>c_t</math>
!colspan=2|unit-edge length <math>c_t/c_1</math><br>in 120-cell of radius <math>c_8=\sqrt{2}\phi^2</math>
|-
|<small><math>c_{1,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>15.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{30\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{30\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>c_{4,1}-c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7-3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.270091</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2} \phi ^2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2 \phi ^4}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.072949}</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1.</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>25.2{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>2 \left\{15\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(c_{18,1}-c_{4,1}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{3-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.437016</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2} \phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2 \phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.190983}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi </math></small>
|<small><math>1.61803</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{3,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>36{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{10\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>3 \left\{\frac{10}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(\sqrt{5}-1\right) c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(\sqrt{5}-1\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>0.618034</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.381966}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>2.28825</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>41.4{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{c_{8,1}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.707107</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.61803</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{5,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>44.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{4}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>2 \left\{\frac{15}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{9-3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.756934</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}}{\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2 \phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.572949}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>2.80252</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{6,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>49.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{17}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{5-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{5-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.831254</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\sqrt{5}}{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.690983}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>3.07768</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{7,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>56.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{20}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{\phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.93913</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{\psi }{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.881966}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\psi \phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>3.47709</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>60{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{6\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{6\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1.</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>3.70246</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{9,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>66.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{40}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{2 \phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.09132</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{\chi }{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\chi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.19098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\chi \phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>4.04057</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{10,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>69.8{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2 \sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.14412</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\phi }{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\phi ^2}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>4.23607</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{11,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>72{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{6}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{5\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{5\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.17557</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3-\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3-\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.38197}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \sqrt{3-\phi } \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.3525</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{12,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>75.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{24}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.22474</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.53457</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{13,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>81.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.30038</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(9-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.69098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(9-\sqrt{5}\right)} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.8146</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{14,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>84.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{40}{9}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi } c_{8,1}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{1+\sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.345</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi }}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\sqrt{5} \phi }{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>4.9798</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{15,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>90.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{4\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{4\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.41421</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>5.23607</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{16,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>95.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{29}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.4802</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(11-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.19098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(11-\sqrt{5}\right)} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>5.48037</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{17,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>98.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{31}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.51954</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(7+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\psi \phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>5.62605</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{18,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>104.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{8}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{15}{4}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.58114</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{5} \sqrt{\phi ^4}</math></small>
|<small><math>5.8541</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{19,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>108.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{9}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{10}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>c_{3,1}+c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(1+\sqrt{5}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>1.61803</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi </math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1+\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.61803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>5.9907</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{20,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>110.2{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.64042</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(13-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.69098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\phi ^2}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.07359</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{21,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>113.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{19}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.67601</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{\chi }{\phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.20537</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{22,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>120{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{10}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{3\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{3\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.73205</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{6} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>6.41285</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{23,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>124.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{41}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }+\frac{5}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.7658</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4-\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4-\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.11803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\chi \phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.53779</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{24,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>130.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{20}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.81907</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(11+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{\sqrt{5}}{\phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.73503</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{25,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>135.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+3 \sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.85123</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\phi ^2}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\phi ^4}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.42705}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^4</math></small>
|<small><math>6.8541</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{26,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>138.6{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{12}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.87083</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{7} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>6.92667</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{27,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>144{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{12}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{5}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(5+\sqrt{5}\right)} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(5+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.90211</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\phi +2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2+\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.61803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{2 \phi +4}</math></small>
|<small><math>7.0425</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{28,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>154.8{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.95167</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(13+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{1}{\phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>7.22598</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{29,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>164.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{14}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{15}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi c_{12,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} \left(1+\sqrt{5}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>1.98168</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3 \phi ^2}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.92705}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>7.33708</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{30,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>180{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{15}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{2\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{2\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.</math></small>
|<small><math>2</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4.}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 \sqrt{2} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>7.40492</math></small>
|-
|rowspan=4 colspan=6|
|rowspan=4 colspan=4|
<small><math>\phi</math></small> is the golden ratio:<br>
<small><math>\phi ^2-\phi -1=0</math></small><br>
<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }+1=\phi</math></small>, and: <small><math>\phi+1=\phi^2</math></small><br>
<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }::1::\phi ::\phi ^2</math></small><br>
<small><math>1/\phi</math></small> and <small><math>\phi</math></small> are the golden sections of <small><math>\sqrt{5}</math></small>:<br>
<small><math>\phi +\frac{1}{\phi }=\sqrt{5}</math></small>
|colspan=2|<small><math>\phi = (\sqrt{5} + 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>1.618034</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\chi = (3\sqrt{5} + 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>3.854102</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\psi = (3\sqrt{5} - 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.854102</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\psi = 11/\chi = 22/(3\sqrt{5} + 1)</math></small>
|<small><math>2.854102</math></small>
|}
...
== 8-point regular polytopes ==
In 2-space we have the regular 8-point octagon, in 3-space the regular 8-point cube, and in 4-space the regular 8-point 16-cell.
A planar octagon with rigid edges of unit length has chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1,r_2=\sqrt{2+\sqrt{2}} \approx 1.84776,r_3=1+\sqrt{2} \approx 2.41421,r_4=\sqrt{4 + \sqrt{8}} \approx 2.61313</math>
The chord ratio <math>r_3=1+\sqrt{2}</math> is a geometrical proportion, the [[W:Silver ratio|silver ratio]]. Fontaine and Hurley's procedure for obtaining the reciprocal of a chord tells us that:
:<math>r_3-r_1-r_1=1/r_3 \approx 0.41421</math>
Notice that <math>1/r_3=\sqrt{2}-1=r_3-2</math>.
If we embed this planar octagon in 3-space, we can fold it to reposition its vertices so that each is one unit-edge-length distant from three others instead of two others, so we obtain a unit-edge cube with chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1, r_2=\sqrt{2}, r_3=\sqrt{3}, r_4=\sqrt{2}</math>
If we embed this cube in 4-space, we can fold it to reposition its vertices so that each is one unit-edge-length distant from six others instead of three others, so we obtain a unit-edge 4-polytope with chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1,r_2=1,r_3=1,r_4=\sqrt{2}</math>
All of its chords except its long diameters are the same unit length as its edge. In fact they are its 24 edges, and it is a 16-cell of radius <small><math>1/\sqrt{2}</math></small>.
The [[16-cell]] is the [[W:Regular convex 4-polytope|regular convex 4-polytope]] with [[W:Schläfli symbol|Schläfli symbol]] {3,3,4}. It has 8 vertices, 24 edges, 32 equilateral triangle faces, and 16 regular tetrahedron cells. It is the [[16-cell#Octahedral dipyramid|four-dimensional analogue of the octahedron]].
The only planar regular polygons found in the 16-cell are face triangles and central plane squares, but the 16-cell also contains a regular skew octagon, its [[W:Petrie polygon|Petrie polygon]]. The chords of this regular octagon, which lies skew in 4-space, are those given above for the 16-cell, as opposed to those for the cube or the regular octagon in the plane. The 16-cell has 3 such Petrie octagons, which share the same 8 vertices but have disjoint sets of 8 edges each.
The regular octad has higher symmetry in 4-space than it does in 2-space. The 16-cell is the 4-orthoplex, the simplest regular 4-polytope after the [[5-cell|4-simplex]]. All the larger regular 4-polytopes are compounds of the 16-cell. The regular octagon exhibits this high symmetry only when embedded in 4-space at the vertices of the 16-cell.
The 16-cell constitutes an [[W:Orthonormal basis|orthonormal basis]] for the choice of a 4-dimensional Cartesian reference frame, because its vertices define four orthogonal axes. The eight vertices of a unit-radius 16-cell are (±1, 0, 0, 0), (0, ±1, 0, 0), (0, 0, ±1, 0), (0, 0, 0, ±1). All vertices are connected by <small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small> edges except opposite pairs.
The vertex coordinates form 6 [[W:Orthogonal|orthogonal]] central squares lying in 6 coordinate planes. Great squares in ''opposite'' planes that do not share an axis (e.g. in the ''xy'' and ''wz'' planes) are completely disjoint (they do not intersect at any vertices). These planes are [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]].{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}}
[[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space]] can be seen as the composition of two 2-dimensional rotations in completely orthogonal planes. The general rotation in 4-space is a double rotation in pairs of completely orthogonal invariant rotation planes. The two completely orthogonal rotations are independent, in that they are not geometrically constrained to turn at the same rate, but the most circular kind of rotation (as opposed to an elliptical double rotation) occurs when the completely orthogonal planes do rotate through the same angle in the same time interval. Such equi-angled double rotations are called isoclinic.
The 16-cell is the simplest possible frame in which to [[16-cell#Rotations|observe 4-dimensional rotations]] because each of the 16-cell's 6 great square planes has just one other completely orthogonal great square plane. In the 16-cell an isoclinic rotation by 90° of any pair of completely orthogonal square central planes takes every square central plane to its completely orthogonal square central plane, and every vertex to the position 180° degrees away.
== Hypercubes ==
The long diameter of the unit-edge [[W:Hypercube|hypercube]] of dimension <small><math>n</math></small> is <small><math>\sqrt{n}</math></small>, so the unit-edge [[w:Tesseract|4-cube (the 8-cell tesseract)]] has chords:
:<math>r_1=\sqrt{1},r_2=\sqrt{2},r_3=\sqrt{3},r_4=\sqrt{4}</math>
Uniquely in its 4-dimensional case, the hypercube's edge length equals its radius, like the hexagon. We call such polytopes ''radially equilateral'', because they can be constructed from equilateral triangles which meet at their center, each contributing two radii and an edge.
== Conclusions ==
Fontaine and Hurley's discovery is more than a formula for the reciprocal of a regular ''n''-polygon diagonal. It also yields the discrete sequence of isocline chords of the distinct isoclinic rotation characteristic of a ''d''-dimensional regular polytope. The characteristic rotational chord sequence of the ''d''-polytope can also be represented geometrically in two dimensions on a distinct star ''n''-polygon, but it lies on a geodesic circle through ''d''-dimensional space. Fontaine and Hurley discovered the geodesic topology of polytopes generally. Their procedure will reveal the geodesics of arbitrary non-uniform polytopes, since it can be applied to a polytope of any dimensionality and irregularity, by first fitting the polytope to the smallest regular polygon whose chords include its chords.
Fontaine and Hurley's discovery of a chordal formula for isoclinic rotations closes the circuit on Kappraff and Adamson's discovery of a rotational connection between dynamical systems, Steinbach's golden fields, and Coxeter's Euclidean geometry of ''n'' dimensions. Application of the Fontaine and Hurley procedure in higher-dimensional spaces demonstrates why the connection exists: because polytope sequences generally, from Steinbach's golden polygon chords to subsumption relations among 4-polytopes, arise as expressions of the reflections and rotations of distinct Coxeter symmetry groups, when those various groups interact.
== Appendix: Sequence of regular 4-polytopes ==
{{Regular convex 4-polytopes|wiki=W:|columns=7}}
== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}
== Citations ==
{{Reflist}}
== References ==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{Cite journal | last=Steinbach | first=Peter | year=1997 | title=Golden fields: A case for the Heptagon | journal=Mathematics Magazine | volume=70 | issue=Feb 1997 | pages=22–31 | doi=10.1080/0025570X.1997.11996494 | jstor=2691048 | ref={{SfnRef|Steinbach|1997}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last=Steinbach | first=Peter | year=2000 | title=Sections Beyond Golden| journal=Bridges: Mathematical Connections in Art, Music and Science | issue=2000 | pages=35-44 | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2000/bridges2000-35.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Steinbach|2000}}}}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Kappraff | first1=Jay | last2=Jablan | first2=Slavik | last3=Adamson | first3=Gary | last4=Sazdanovich | first4=Radmila | year=2004 | title=Golden Fields, Generalized Fibonacci Sequences, and Chaotic Matrices | journal=Forma | volume=19 | pages=367-387 | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2005/bridges2005-369.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Kappraff, Jablan, Adamson & Sazdanovich|2004}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Kappraff | first1=Jay | last2=Adamson | first2=Gary | year=2004 | title=Polygons and Chaos | journal=Dynamical Systems and Geometric Theories | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2001/bridges2001-67.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Kappraff & Adamson|2004}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Fontaine | first1=Anne | last2=Hurley | first2=Susan | year=2006 | title=Proof by Picture: Products and Reciprocals of Diagonal Length Ratios in the Regular Polygon | journal=Forum Geometricorum | volume=6 | pages=97-101 | url=https://scispace.com/pdf/proof-by-picture-products-and-reciprocals-of-diagonal-length-1aian8mgp9.pdf }}
{{Refend}}
87py1c7kk6z35bxjpoye84ehnpnasy3
2805689
2805687
2026-04-20T20:16:25Z
Dc.samizdat
2856930
/* Thirty distinguished distances */
2805689
wikitext
text/x-wiki
{{align|center|David Brooks Christie}}
{{align|center|dc@samizdat.org}}
{{align|center|Draft in progress}}
{{align|center|January 2026 - April 2026}}
<blockquote>Steinbach discovered the formula for the ratios of diagonal to side in the regular polygons. Fontaine and Hurley extended this result, discovering a formula for the reciprocal of a regular polygon chord derived geometrically from the chord's distinct star polygon. We observe that these findings in plane geometry apply more generally, to polytopes of any dimensionality. Fontaine and Hurley's geometric procedure for finding the reciprocals of the chords of a regular polygon from their regular star polygons also finds the rotational geodesics of any polytope of any dimensionality.</blockquote>
== Introduction ==
Steinbach discovered the Diagonal Product Formula and the Golden Fields family of ratios of diagonal to side in the regular polygons. He showed how this family extends beyond the pentagon {5} with its well-known golden bisection proportional to 𝜙, finding that the heptagon {7} has an analogous trisection, the nonagon {9} has an analogous quadrasection, and the hendecagon {11} has an analogous pentasection, an extended family of golden proportions with quasiperiodic properties.
Kappraff and Adamson extended these findings in plane geometry to a theory of Generalized Fibonacci Sequences, showing that the Golden Fields not only do not end with the hendecagon, they form an infinite number of periodic trajectories when operated on by the Mandelbrot operator. They found a relation between the edges of star polygons and dynamical systems in the state of chaos, revealing a connection between chaos theory, number, and rotations in Coxeter Euclidean geometry.
Fontaine and Hurley examined Steinbach's finding that the length of each chord of a regular polygon is both the product of two smaller chords and the sum of a set of smaller chords, so that in rotations to add is to multiply. They illustrated Steinbach's sets of additive chords lying parallel to each other in the plane (pointing in the same direction), and by applying Steinbach's formula more generally they found another summation relation of signed parallel chords (pointing in opposite directions) which relates each chord length to its reciprocal, and relates the summation to a distinct star polygon rotation.
We examine these remarkable findings (which stem from study of the chords of humble regular polygons) in higher-dimensional spaces, specifically in the chords, polygons and rotations of the 120-cell, the largest four-dimensional regular convex polytope.
== Thirty distinguished distances ==
The 30 numbers listed in the table are all-important in Euclidean geometry. A case can be made on symmetry grounds that their squares are the 30 most important numbers between 0 and 4. The 30 rows of the table are the 30 discrete chord lengths of the unit-radius 120-cell, the largest regular convex 4-polytope. Since the 120-cell subsumes all smaller regular polytopes, its 30 chords are the complete chord set of all the regular polytopes that can be constructed in the first four dimensions of Euclidean space, except for regular polygons of more than 15 sides. Consequently these chords may be considered the 30 most significant discrete distances in geometry.
{| class="wikitable" style="white-space:nowrap;text-align:center"
!rowspan=2|<math>c_t</math>
!rowspan=2|arc
!rowspan=2|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{n}\right\}</math></small>
!rowspan=2|<math>\left\{p\right\}</math>
!rowspan=2|<small><math>m\left\{\frac{k}{d}\right\}</math></small>
!rowspan=2|Steinbach roots
!colspan=7|Chord lengths of the unit 120-cell
|-
!colspan=5|unit-radius length <math>c_t</math>
!colspan=2|unit-edge length <math>c_t/c_1</math><br>in 120-cell of radius <math>c_8=\sqrt{2}\phi^2</math>
|-
|<small><math>c_{1,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>15.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{30\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{30\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>c_{4,1}-c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7-3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.270091</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2} \phi ^2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2 \phi ^4}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.072949}</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1.</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>25.2{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>2 \left\{15\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(c_{18,1}-c_{4,1}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{3-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.437016</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2} \phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2 \phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.190983}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi </math></small>
|<small><math>1.61803</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{3,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>36{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{10\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>3 \left\{\frac{10}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(\sqrt{5}-1\right) c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(\sqrt{5}-1\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>0.618034</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.381966}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>2.28825</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>41.4{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{c_{8,1}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.707107</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.61803</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{5,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>44.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{4}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>2 \left\{\frac{15}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{9-3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.756934</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}}{\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2 \phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.572949}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>2.80252</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{6,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>49.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{17}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{5-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{5-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.831254</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\sqrt{5}}{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.690983}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>3.07768</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{7,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>56.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{20}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{\phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.93913</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{\psi }{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.881966}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\psi \phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>3.47709</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>60{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{6\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{6\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1.</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>3.70246</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{9,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>66.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{40}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{2 \phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.09132</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{\chi }{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\chi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.19098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\chi \phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>4.04057</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{10,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>69.8{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2 \sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.14412</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\phi }{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\phi ^2}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>4.23607</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{11,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>72{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{6}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{5\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{5\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.17557</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3-\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3-\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.38197}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \sqrt{3-\phi } \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.3525</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{12,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>75.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{24}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.22474</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.53457</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{13,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>81.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.30038</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(9-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.69098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(9-\sqrt{5}\right)} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.8146</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{14,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>84.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{40}{9}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi } c_{8,1}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{1+\sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.345</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi }}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\sqrt{5} \phi }{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>4.9798</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{15,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>90.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{4\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{4\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.41421</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>5.23607</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{16,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>95.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{29}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.4802</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(11-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.19098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(11-\sqrt{5}\right)} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>5.48037</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{17,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>98.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{31}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.51954</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(7+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\psi \phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>5.62605</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{18,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>104.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{8}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{15}{4}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.58114</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{5} \sqrt{\phi ^4}</math></small>
|<small><math>5.8541</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{19,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>108.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{9}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{10}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>c_{3,1}+c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(1+\sqrt{5}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>1.61803</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi </math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1+\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.61803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>5.9907</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{20,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>110.2{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.64042</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(13-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.69098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\phi ^2}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.07359</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{21,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>113.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{19}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.67601</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{\chi }{\phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.20537</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{22,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>120{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{10}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{3\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{3\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.73205</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{6} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>6.41285</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{23,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>124.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{41}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }+\frac{5}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.7658</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4-\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4-\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.11803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\chi \phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.53779</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{24,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>130.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{20}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.81907</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(11+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{\sqrt{5}}{\phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.73503</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{25,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>135.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+3 \sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.85123</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\phi ^2}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\phi ^4}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.42705}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^4</math></small>
|<small><math>6.8541</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{26,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>138.6{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{12}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.87083</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{7} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>6.92667</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{27,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>144{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{12}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{5}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(5+\sqrt{5}\right)} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(5+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.90211</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\phi +2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2+\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.61803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{2 \phi +4}</math></small>
|<small><math>7.0425</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{28,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>154.8{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.95167</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(13+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{1}{\phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>7.22598</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{29,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>164.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{14}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{15}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi c_{12,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} \left(1+\sqrt{5}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>1.98168</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3 \phi ^2}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.92705}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>7.33708</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{30,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>180{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{15}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{2\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{2\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.</math></small>
|<small><math>2</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4.}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 \sqrt{2} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>7.40492</math></small>
|-
|rowspan=4 colspan=6|
|rowspan=4 colspan=4|
<small><math>\phi</math></small> is the golden ratio:<br>
<small><math>\phi ^2-\phi -1=0</math></small><br>
<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }+1=\phi</math></small>, and: <small><math>\phi+1=\phi^2</math></small><br>
<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }::1::\phi ::\phi ^2</math></small><br>
<small><math>1/\phi</math></small> and <small><math>\phi</math></small> are the golden sections of <small><math>\sqrt{5}</math></small>:<br>
<small><math>\phi +\frac{1}{\phi }=\sqrt{5}</math></small>
|colspan=2|<small><math>\phi = (\sqrt{5} + 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>1.618034</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\chi = (3\sqrt{5} + 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>3.854102</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\psi = (3\sqrt{5} - 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.854102</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\psi = 11/\chi = 22/(3\sqrt{5} + 1)</math></small>
|<small><math>2.854102</math></small>
|}
...
== 8-point regular polytopes ==
In 2-space we have the regular 8-point octagon, in 3-space the regular 8-point cube, and in 4-space the regular 8-point 16-cell.
A planar octagon with rigid edges of unit length has chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1,r_2=\sqrt{2+\sqrt{2}} \approx 1.84776,r_3=1+\sqrt{2} \approx 2.41421,r_4=\sqrt{4 + \sqrt{8}} \approx 2.61313</math>
The chord ratio <math>r_3=1+\sqrt{2}</math> is a geometrical proportion, the [[W:Silver ratio|silver ratio]]. Fontaine and Hurley's procedure for obtaining the reciprocal of a chord tells us that:
:<math>r_3-r_1-r_1=1/r_3 \approx 0.41421</math>
Notice that <math>1/r_3=\sqrt{2}-1=r_3-2</math>.
If we embed this planar octagon in 3-space, we can fold it to reposition its vertices so that each is one unit-edge-length distant from three others instead of two others, so we obtain a unit-edge cube with chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1, r_2=\sqrt{2}, r_3=\sqrt{3}, r_4=\sqrt{2}</math>
If we embed this cube in 4-space, we can fold it to reposition its vertices so that each is one unit-edge-length distant from six others instead of three others, so we obtain a unit-edge 4-polytope with chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1,r_2=1,r_3=1,r_4=\sqrt{2}</math>
All of its chords except its long diameters are the same unit length as its edge. In fact they are its 24 edges, and it is a 16-cell of radius <small><math>1/\sqrt{2}</math></small>.
The [[16-cell]] is the [[W:Regular convex 4-polytope|regular convex 4-polytope]] with [[W:Schläfli symbol|Schläfli symbol]] {3,3,4}. It has 8 vertices, 24 edges, 32 equilateral triangle faces, and 16 regular tetrahedron cells. It is the [[16-cell#Octahedral dipyramid|four-dimensional analogue of the octahedron]].
The only planar regular polygons found in the 16-cell are face triangles and central plane squares, but the 16-cell also contains a regular skew octagon, its [[W:Petrie polygon|Petrie polygon]]. The chords of this regular octagon, which lies skew in 4-space, are those given above for the 16-cell, as opposed to those for the cube or the regular octagon in the plane. The 16-cell has 3 such Petrie octagons, which share the same 8 vertices but have disjoint sets of 8 edges each.
The regular octad has higher symmetry in 4-space than it does in 2-space. The 16-cell is the 4-orthoplex, the simplest regular 4-polytope after the [[5-cell|4-simplex]]. All the larger regular 4-polytopes are compounds of the 16-cell. The regular octagon exhibits this high symmetry only when embedded in 4-space at the vertices of the 16-cell.
The 16-cell constitutes an [[W:Orthonormal basis|orthonormal basis]] for the choice of a 4-dimensional Cartesian reference frame, because its vertices define four orthogonal axes. The eight vertices of a unit-radius 16-cell are (±1, 0, 0, 0), (0, ±1, 0, 0), (0, 0, ±1, 0), (0, 0, 0, ±1). All vertices are connected by <small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small> edges except opposite pairs.
The vertex coordinates form 6 [[W:Orthogonal|orthogonal]] central squares lying in 6 coordinate planes. Great squares in ''opposite'' planes that do not share an axis (e.g. in the ''xy'' and ''wz'' planes) are completely disjoint (they do not intersect at any vertices). These planes are [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]].{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}}
[[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space]] can be seen as the composition of two 2-dimensional rotations in completely orthogonal planes. The general rotation in 4-space is a double rotation in pairs of completely orthogonal invariant rotation planes. The two completely orthogonal rotations are independent, in that they are not geometrically constrained to turn at the same rate, but the most circular kind of rotation (as opposed to an elliptical double rotation) occurs when the completely orthogonal planes do rotate through the same angle in the same time interval. Such equi-angled double rotations are called isoclinic.
The 16-cell is the simplest possible frame in which to [[16-cell#Rotations|observe 4-dimensional rotations]] because each of the 16-cell's 6 great square planes has just one other completely orthogonal great square plane. In the 16-cell an isoclinic rotation by 90° of any pair of completely orthogonal square central planes takes every square central plane to its completely orthogonal square central plane, and every vertex to the position 180° degrees away.
== Hypercubes ==
The long diameter of the unit-edge [[W:Hypercube|hypercube]] of dimension <small><math>n</math></small> is <small><math>\sqrt{n}</math></small>, so the unit-edge [[w:Tesseract|4-cube (the 8-cell tesseract)]] has chords:
:<math>r_1=\sqrt{1},r_2=\sqrt{2},r_3=\sqrt{3},r_4=\sqrt{4}</math>
Uniquely in its 4-dimensional case, the hypercube's edge length equals its radius, like the hexagon. We call such polytopes ''radially equilateral'', because they can be constructed from equilateral triangles which meet at their center, each contributing two radii and an edge.
== Conclusions ==
Fontaine and Hurley's discovery is more than a formula for the reciprocal of a regular ''n''-polygon diagonal. It also yields the discrete sequence of isocline chords of the distinct isoclinic rotation characteristic of a ''d''-dimensional regular polytope. The characteristic rotational chord sequence of the ''d''-polytope can also be represented geometrically in two dimensions on a distinct star ''n''-polygon, but it lies on a geodesic circle through ''d''-dimensional space. Fontaine and Hurley discovered the geodesic topology of polytopes generally. Their procedure will reveal the geodesics of arbitrary non-uniform polytopes, since it can be applied to a polytope of any dimensionality and irregularity, by first fitting the polytope to the smallest regular polygon whose chords include its chords.
Fontaine and Hurley's discovery of a chordal formula for isoclinic rotations closes the circuit on Kappraff and Adamson's discovery of a rotational connection between dynamical systems, Steinbach's golden fields, and Coxeter's Euclidean geometry of ''n'' dimensions. Application of the Fontaine and Hurley procedure in higher-dimensional spaces demonstrates why the connection exists: because polytope sequences generally, from Steinbach's golden polygon chords to subsumption relations among 4-polytopes, arise as expressions of the reflections and rotations of distinct Coxeter symmetry groups, when those various groups interact.
== Appendix: Sequence of regular 4-polytopes ==
{{Regular convex 4-polytopes|wiki=W:|columns=7}}
== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}
== Citations ==
{{Reflist}}
== References ==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{Cite journal | last=Steinbach | first=Peter | year=1997 | title=Golden fields: A case for the Heptagon | journal=Mathematics Magazine | volume=70 | issue=Feb 1997 | pages=22–31 | doi=10.1080/0025570X.1997.11996494 | jstor=2691048 | ref={{SfnRef|Steinbach|1997}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last=Steinbach | first=Peter | year=2000 | title=Sections Beyond Golden| journal=Bridges: Mathematical Connections in Art, Music and Science | issue=2000 | pages=35-44 | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2000/bridges2000-35.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Steinbach|2000}}}}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Kappraff | first1=Jay | last2=Jablan | first2=Slavik | last3=Adamson | first3=Gary | last4=Sazdanovich | first4=Radmila | year=2004 | title=Golden Fields, Generalized Fibonacci Sequences, and Chaotic Matrices | journal=Forma | volume=19 | pages=367-387 | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2005/bridges2005-369.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Kappraff, Jablan, Adamson & Sazdanovich|2004}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Kappraff | first1=Jay | last2=Adamson | first2=Gary | year=2004 | title=Polygons and Chaos | journal=Dynamical Systems and Geometric Theories | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2001/bridges2001-67.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Kappraff & Adamson|2004}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Fontaine | first1=Anne | last2=Hurley | first2=Susan | year=2006 | title=Proof by Picture: Products and Reciprocals of Diagonal Length Ratios in the Regular Polygon | journal=Forum Geometricorum | volume=6 | pages=97-101 | url=https://scispace.com/pdf/proof-by-picture-products-and-reciprocals-of-diagonal-length-1aian8mgp9.pdf }}
{{Refend}}
au89blf76w3eqvj6xpsb7h78eas48e9
2805690
2805689
2026-04-20T20:17:42Z
Dc.samizdat
2856930
/* 8-point regular polytopes */
2805690
wikitext
text/x-wiki
{{align|center|David Brooks Christie}}
{{align|center|dc@samizdat.org}}
{{align|center|Draft in progress}}
{{align|center|January 2026 - April 2026}}
<blockquote>Steinbach discovered the formula for the ratios of diagonal to side in the regular polygons. Fontaine and Hurley extended this result, discovering a formula for the reciprocal of a regular polygon chord derived geometrically from the chord's distinct star polygon. We observe that these findings in plane geometry apply more generally, to polytopes of any dimensionality. Fontaine and Hurley's geometric procedure for finding the reciprocals of the chords of a regular polygon from their regular star polygons also finds the rotational geodesics of any polytope of any dimensionality.</blockquote>
== Introduction ==
Steinbach discovered the Diagonal Product Formula and the Golden Fields family of ratios of diagonal to side in the regular polygons. He showed how this family extends beyond the pentagon {5} with its well-known golden bisection proportional to 𝜙, finding that the heptagon {7} has an analogous trisection, the nonagon {9} has an analogous quadrasection, and the hendecagon {11} has an analogous pentasection, an extended family of golden proportions with quasiperiodic properties.
Kappraff and Adamson extended these findings in plane geometry to a theory of Generalized Fibonacci Sequences, showing that the Golden Fields not only do not end with the hendecagon, they form an infinite number of periodic trajectories when operated on by the Mandelbrot operator. They found a relation between the edges of star polygons and dynamical systems in the state of chaos, revealing a connection between chaos theory, number, and rotations in Coxeter Euclidean geometry.
Fontaine and Hurley examined Steinbach's finding that the length of each chord of a regular polygon is both the product of two smaller chords and the sum of a set of smaller chords, so that in rotations to add is to multiply. They illustrated Steinbach's sets of additive chords lying parallel to each other in the plane (pointing in the same direction), and by applying Steinbach's formula more generally they found another summation relation of signed parallel chords (pointing in opposite directions) which relates each chord length to its reciprocal, and relates the summation to a distinct star polygon rotation.
We examine these remarkable findings (which stem from study of the chords of humble regular polygons) in higher-dimensional spaces, specifically in the chords, polygons and rotations of the 120-cell, the largest four-dimensional regular convex polytope.
== Thirty distinguished distances ==
The 30 numbers listed in the table are all-important in Euclidean geometry. A case can be made on symmetry grounds that their squares are the 30 most important numbers between 0 and 4. The 30 rows of the table are the 30 discrete chord lengths of the unit-radius 120-cell, the largest regular convex 4-polytope. Since the 120-cell subsumes all smaller regular polytopes, its 30 chords are the complete chord set of all the regular polytopes that can be constructed in the first four dimensions of Euclidean space, except for regular polygons of more than 15 sides. Consequently these chords may be considered the 30 most significant discrete distances in geometry.
{| class="wikitable" style="white-space:nowrap;text-align:center"
!rowspan=2|<math>c_t</math>
!rowspan=2|arc
!rowspan=2|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{n}\right\}</math></small>
!rowspan=2|<math>\left\{p\right\}</math>
!rowspan=2|<small><math>m\left\{\frac{k}{d}\right\}</math></small>
!rowspan=2|Steinbach roots
!colspan=7|Chord lengths of the unit 120-cell
|-
!colspan=5|unit-radius length <math>c_t</math>
!colspan=2|unit-edge length <math>c_t/c_1</math><br>in 120-cell of radius <math>c_8=\sqrt{2}\phi^2</math>
|-
|<small><math>c_{1,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>15.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{30\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{30\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>c_{4,1}-c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7-3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.270091</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2} \phi ^2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2 \phi ^4}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.072949}</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1.</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>25.2{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>2 \left\{15\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(c_{18,1}-c_{4,1}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{3-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.437016</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2} \phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2 \phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.190983}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi </math></small>
|<small><math>1.61803</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{3,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>36{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{10\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>3 \left\{\frac{10}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(\sqrt{5}-1\right) c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(\sqrt{5}-1\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>0.618034</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.381966}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>2.28825</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>41.4{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{c_{8,1}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.707107</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.61803</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{5,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>44.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{4}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>2 \left\{\frac{15}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{9-3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.756934</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}}{\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2 \phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.572949}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>2.80252</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{6,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>49.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{17}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{5-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{5-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.831254</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\sqrt{5}}{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.690983}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>3.07768</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{7,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>56.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{20}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{\phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.93913</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{\psi }{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.881966}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\psi \phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>3.47709</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>60{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{6\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{6\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1.</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>3.70246</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{9,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>66.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{40}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{2 \phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.09132</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{\chi }{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\chi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.19098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\chi \phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>4.04057</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{10,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>69.8{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2 \sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.14412</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\phi }{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\phi ^2}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>4.23607</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{11,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>72{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{6}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{5\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{5\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.17557</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3-\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3-\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.38197}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \sqrt{3-\phi } \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.3525</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{12,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>75.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{24}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.22474</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.53457</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{13,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>81.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.30038</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(9-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.69098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(9-\sqrt{5}\right)} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.8146</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{14,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>84.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{40}{9}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi } c_{8,1}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{1+\sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.345</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi }}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\sqrt{5} \phi }{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>4.9798</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{15,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>90.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{4\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{4\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.41421</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>5.23607</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{16,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>95.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{29}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.4802</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(11-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.19098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(11-\sqrt{5}\right)} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>5.48037</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{17,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>98.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{31}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.51954</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(7+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\psi \phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>5.62605</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{18,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>104.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{8}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{15}{4}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.58114</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{5} \sqrt{\phi ^4}</math></small>
|<small><math>5.8541</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{19,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>108.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{9}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{10}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>c_{3,1}+c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(1+\sqrt{5}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>1.61803</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi </math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1+\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.61803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>5.9907</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{20,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>110.2{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.64042</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(13-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.69098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\phi ^2}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.07359</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{21,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>113.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{19}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.67601</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{\chi }{\phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.20537</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{22,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>120{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{10}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{3\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{3\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.73205</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{6} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>6.41285</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{23,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>124.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{41}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }+\frac{5}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.7658</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4-\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4-\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.11803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\chi \phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.53779</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{24,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>130.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{20}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.81907</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(11+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{\sqrt{5}}{\phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.73503</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{25,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>135.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+3 \sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.85123</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\phi ^2}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\phi ^4}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.42705}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^4</math></small>
|<small><math>6.8541</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{26,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>138.6{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{12}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.87083</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{7} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>6.92667</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{27,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>144{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{12}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{5}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(5+\sqrt{5}\right)} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(5+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.90211</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\phi +2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2+\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.61803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{2 \phi +4}</math></small>
|<small><math>7.0425</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{28,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>154.8{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.95167</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(13+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{1}{\phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>7.22598</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{29,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>164.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{14}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{15}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi c_{12,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} \left(1+\sqrt{5}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>1.98168</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3 \phi ^2}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.92705}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>7.33708</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{30,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>180{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{15}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{2\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{2\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.</math></small>
|<small><math>2</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4.}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 \sqrt{2} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>7.40492</math></small>
|-
|rowspan=4 colspan=6|
|rowspan=4 colspan=4|
<small><math>\phi</math></small> is the golden ratio:<br>
<small><math>\phi ^2-\phi -1=0</math></small><br>
<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }+1=\phi</math></small>, and: <small><math>\phi+1=\phi^2</math></small><br>
<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }::1::\phi ::\phi ^2</math></small><br>
<small><math>1/\phi</math></small> and <small><math>\phi</math></small> are the golden sections of <small><math>\sqrt{5}</math></small>:<br>
<small><math>\phi +\frac{1}{\phi }=\sqrt{5}</math></small>
|colspan=2|<small><math>\phi = (\sqrt{5} + 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>1.618034</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\chi = (3\sqrt{5} + 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>3.854102</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\psi = (3\sqrt{5} - 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.854102</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\psi = 11/\chi = 22/(3\sqrt{5} + 1)</math></small>
|<small><math>2.854102</math></small>
|}
...
== The 8-point regular polytopes ==
In 2-space we have the regular 8-point octagon, in 3-space the regular 8-point cube, and in 4-space the regular 8-point 16-cell.
A planar octagon with rigid edges of unit length has chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1,r_2=\sqrt{2+\sqrt{2}} \approx 1.84776,r_3=1+\sqrt{2} \approx 2.41421,r_4=\sqrt{4 + \sqrt{8}} \approx 2.61313</math>
The chord ratio <math>r_3=1+\sqrt{2}</math> is a geometrical proportion, the [[W:Silver ratio|silver ratio]]. Fontaine and Hurley's procedure for obtaining the reciprocal of a chord tells us that:
:<math>r_3-r_1-r_1=1/r_3 \approx 0.41421</math>
Notice that <math>1/r_3=\sqrt{2}-1=r_3-2</math>.
If we embed this planar octagon in 3-space, we can fold it to reposition its vertices so that each is one unit-edge-length distant from three others instead of two others, so we obtain a unit-edge cube with chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1, r_2=\sqrt{2}, r_3=\sqrt{3}, r_4=\sqrt{2}</math>
If we embed this cube in 4-space, we can fold it to reposition its vertices so that each is one unit-edge-length distant from six others instead of three others, so we obtain a unit-edge 4-polytope with chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1,r_2=1,r_3=1,r_4=\sqrt{2}</math>
All of its chords except its long diameters are the same unit length as its edge. In fact they are its 24 edges, and it is a 16-cell of radius <small><math>1/\sqrt{2}</math></small>.
The [[16-cell]] is the [[W:Regular convex 4-polytope|regular convex 4-polytope]] with [[W:Schläfli symbol|Schläfli symbol]] {3,3,4}. It has 8 vertices, 24 edges, 32 equilateral triangle faces, and 16 regular tetrahedron cells. It is the [[16-cell#Octahedral dipyramid|four-dimensional analogue of the octahedron]].
The only planar regular polygons found in the 16-cell are face triangles and central plane squares, but the 16-cell also contains a regular skew octagon, its [[W:Petrie polygon|Petrie polygon]]. The chords of this regular octagon, which lies skew in 4-space, are those given above for the 16-cell, as opposed to those for the cube or the regular octagon in the plane. The 16-cell has 3 such Petrie octagons, which share the same 8 vertices but have disjoint sets of 8 edges each.
The regular octad has higher symmetry in 4-space than it does in 2-space. The 16-cell is the 4-orthoplex, the simplest regular 4-polytope after the [[5-cell|4-simplex]]. All the larger regular 4-polytopes are compounds of the 16-cell. The regular octagon exhibits this high symmetry only when embedded in 4-space at the vertices of the 16-cell.
The 16-cell constitutes an [[W:Orthonormal basis|orthonormal basis]] for the choice of a 4-dimensional Cartesian reference frame, because its vertices define four orthogonal axes. The eight vertices of a unit-radius 16-cell are (±1, 0, 0, 0), (0, ±1, 0, 0), (0, 0, ±1, 0), (0, 0, 0, ±1). All vertices are connected by <small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small> edges except opposite pairs.
The vertex coordinates form 6 [[W:Orthogonal|orthogonal]] central squares lying in 6 coordinate planes. Great squares in ''opposite'' planes that do not share an axis (e.g. in the ''xy'' and ''wz'' planes) are completely disjoint (they do not intersect at any vertices). These planes are [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]].{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}}
[[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space]] can be seen as the composition of two 2-dimensional rotations in completely orthogonal planes. The general rotation in 4-space is a double rotation in pairs of completely orthogonal invariant rotation planes. The two completely orthogonal rotations are independent, in that they are not geometrically constrained to turn at the same rate, but the most circular kind of rotation (as opposed to an elliptical double rotation) occurs when the completely orthogonal planes do rotate through the same angle in the same time interval. Such equi-angled double rotations are called isoclinic.
The 16-cell is the simplest possible frame in which to [[16-cell#Rotations|observe 4-dimensional rotations]] because each of the 16-cell's 6 great square planes has just one other completely orthogonal great square plane. In the 16-cell an isoclinic rotation by 90° of any pair of completely orthogonal square central planes takes every square central plane to its completely orthogonal square central plane, and every vertex to the position 180° degrees away.
== Hypercubes ==
The long diameter of the unit-edge [[W:Hypercube|hypercube]] of dimension <small><math>n</math></small> is <small><math>\sqrt{n}</math></small>, so the unit-edge [[w:Tesseract|4-cube (the 8-cell tesseract)]] has chords:
:<math>r_1=\sqrt{1},r_2=\sqrt{2},r_3=\sqrt{3},r_4=\sqrt{4}</math>
Uniquely in its 4-dimensional case, the hypercube's edge length equals its radius, like the hexagon. We call such polytopes ''radially equilateral'', because they can be constructed from equilateral triangles which meet at their center, each contributing two radii and an edge.
== Conclusions ==
Fontaine and Hurley's discovery is more than a formula for the reciprocal of a regular ''n''-polygon diagonal. It also yields the discrete sequence of isocline chords of the distinct isoclinic rotation characteristic of a ''d''-dimensional regular polytope. The characteristic rotational chord sequence of the ''d''-polytope can also be represented geometrically in two dimensions on a distinct star ''n''-polygon, but it lies on a geodesic circle through ''d''-dimensional space. Fontaine and Hurley discovered the geodesic topology of polytopes generally. Their procedure will reveal the geodesics of arbitrary non-uniform polytopes, since it can be applied to a polytope of any dimensionality and irregularity, by first fitting the polytope to the smallest regular polygon whose chords include its chords.
Fontaine and Hurley's discovery of a chordal formula for isoclinic rotations closes the circuit on Kappraff and Adamson's discovery of a rotational connection between dynamical systems, Steinbach's golden fields, and Coxeter's Euclidean geometry of ''n'' dimensions. Application of the Fontaine and Hurley procedure in higher-dimensional spaces demonstrates why the connection exists: because polytope sequences generally, from Steinbach's golden polygon chords to subsumption relations among 4-polytopes, arise as expressions of the reflections and rotations of distinct Coxeter symmetry groups, when those various groups interact.
== Appendix: Sequence of regular 4-polytopes ==
{{Regular convex 4-polytopes|wiki=W:|columns=7}}
== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}
== Citations ==
{{Reflist}}
== References ==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{Cite journal | last=Steinbach | first=Peter | year=1997 | title=Golden fields: A case for the Heptagon | journal=Mathematics Magazine | volume=70 | issue=Feb 1997 | pages=22–31 | doi=10.1080/0025570X.1997.11996494 | jstor=2691048 | ref={{SfnRef|Steinbach|1997}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last=Steinbach | first=Peter | year=2000 | title=Sections Beyond Golden| journal=Bridges: Mathematical Connections in Art, Music and Science | issue=2000 | pages=35-44 | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2000/bridges2000-35.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Steinbach|2000}}}}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Kappraff | first1=Jay | last2=Jablan | first2=Slavik | last3=Adamson | first3=Gary | last4=Sazdanovich | first4=Radmila | year=2004 | title=Golden Fields, Generalized Fibonacci Sequences, and Chaotic Matrices | journal=Forma | volume=19 | pages=367-387 | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2005/bridges2005-369.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Kappraff, Jablan, Adamson & Sazdanovich|2004}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Kappraff | first1=Jay | last2=Adamson | first2=Gary | year=2004 | title=Polygons and Chaos | journal=Dynamical Systems and Geometric Theories | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2001/bridges2001-67.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Kappraff & Adamson|2004}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Fontaine | first1=Anne | last2=Hurley | first2=Susan | year=2006 | title=Proof by Picture: Products and Reciprocals of Diagonal Length Ratios in the Regular Polygon | journal=Forum Geometricorum | volume=6 | pages=97-101 | url=https://scispace.com/pdf/proof-by-picture-products-and-reciprocals-of-diagonal-length-1aian8mgp9.pdf }}
{{Refend}}
r8mspdtgouw42r0livimf9wuxl1ymqm
2805691
2805690
2026-04-20T20:18:47Z
Dc.samizdat
2856930
/* The 8-point regular polytopes */
2805691
wikitext
text/x-wiki
{{align|center|David Brooks Christie}}
{{align|center|dc@samizdat.org}}
{{align|center|Draft in progress}}
{{align|center|January 2026 - April 2026}}
<blockquote>Steinbach discovered the formula for the ratios of diagonal to side in the regular polygons. Fontaine and Hurley extended this result, discovering a formula for the reciprocal of a regular polygon chord derived geometrically from the chord's distinct star polygon. We observe that these findings in plane geometry apply more generally, to polytopes of any dimensionality. Fontaine and Hurley's geometric procedure for finding the reciprocals of the chords of a regular polygon from their regular star polygons also finds the rotational geodesics of any polytope of any dimensionality.</blockquote>
== Introduction ==
Steinbach discovered the Diagonal Product Formula and the Golden Fields family of ratios of diagonal to side in the regular polygons. He showed how this family extends beyond the pentagon {5} with its well-known golden bisection proportional to 𝜙, finding that the heptagon {7} has an analogous trisection, the nonagon {9} has an analogous quadrasection, and the hendecagon {11} has an analogous pentasection, an extended family of golden proportions with quasiperiodic properties.
Kappraff and Adamson extended these findings in plane geometry to a theory of Generalized Fibonacci Sequences, showing that the Golden Fields not only do not end with the hendecagon, they form an infinite number of periodic trajectories when operated on by the Mandelbrot operator. They found a relation between the edges of star polygons and dynamical systems in the state of chaos, revealing a connection between chaos theory, number, and rotations in Coxeter Euclidean geometry.
Fontaine and Hurley examined Steinbach's finding that the length of each chord of a regular polygon is both the product of two smaller chords and the sum of a set of smaller chords, so that in rotations to add is to multiply. They illustrated Steinbach's sets of additive chords lying parallel to each other in the plane (pointing in the same direction), and by applying Steinbach's formula more generally they found another summation relation of signed parallel chords (pointing in opposite directions) which relates each chord length to its reciprocal, and relates the summation to a distinct star polygon rotation.
We examine these remarkable findings (which stem from study of the chords of humble regular polygons) in higher-dimensional spaces, specifically in the chords, polygons and rotations of the 120-cell, the largest four-dimensional regular convex polytope.
== Thirty distinguished distances ==
The 30 numbers listed in the table are all-important in Euclidean geometry. A case can be made on symmetry grounds that their squares are the 30 most important numbers between 0 and 4. The 30 rows of the table are the 30 discrete chord lengths of the unit-radius 120-cell, the largest regular convex 4-polytope. Since the 120-cell subsumes all smaller regular polytopes, its 30 chords are the complete chord set of all the regular polytopes that can be constructed in the first four dimensions of Euclidean space, except for regular polygons of more than 15 sides. Consequently these chords may be considered the 30 most significant discrete distances in geometry.
{| class="wikitable" style="white-space:nowrap;text-align:center"
!rowspan=2|<math>c_t</math>
!rowspan=2|arc
!rowspan=2|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{n}\right\}</math></small>
!rowspan=2|<math>\left\{p\right\}</math>
!rowspan=2|<small><math>m\left\{\frac{k}{d}\right\}</math></small>
!rowspan=2|Steinbach roots
!colspan=7|Chord lengths of the unit 120-cell
|-
!colspan=5|unit-radius length <math>c_t</math>
!colspan=2|unit-edge length <math>c_t/c_1</math><br>in 120-cell of radius <math>c_8=\sqrt{2}\phi^2</math>
|-
|<small><math>c_{1,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>15.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{30\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{30\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>c_{4,1}-c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7-3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.270091</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2} \phi ^2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2 \phi ^4}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.072949}</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1.</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>25.2{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>2 \left\{15\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(c_{18,1}-c_{4,1}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{3-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.437016</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2} \phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2 \phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.190983}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi </math></small>
|<small><math>1.61803</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{3,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>36{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{10\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>3 \left\{\frac{10}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(\sqrt{5}-1\right) c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(\sqrt{5}-1\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>0.618034</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.381966}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>2.28825</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>41.4{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{c_{8,1}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.707107</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.61803</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{5,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>44.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{4}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>2 \left\{\frac{15}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{9-3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.756934</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}}{\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2 \phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.572949}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>2.80252</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{6,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>49.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{17}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{5-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{5-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.831254</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\sqrt{5}}{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.690983}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>3.07768</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{7,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>56.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{20}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{\phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.93913</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{\psi }{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.881966}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\psi \phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>3.47709</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>60{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{6\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{6\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1.</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>3.70246</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{9,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>66.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{40}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{2 \phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.09132</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{\chi }{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\chi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.19098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\chi \phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>4.04057</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{10,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>69.8{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2 \sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.14412</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\phi }{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\phi ^2}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>4.23607</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{11,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>72{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{6}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{5\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{5\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.17557</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3-\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3-\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.38197}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \sqrt{3-\phi } \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.3525</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{12,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>75.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{24}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.22474</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.53457</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{13,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>81.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.30038</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(9-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.69098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(9-\sqrt{5}\right)} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.8146</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{14,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>84.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{40}{9}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi } c_{8,1}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{1+\sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.345</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi }}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\sqrt{5} \phi }{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>4.9798</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{15,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>90.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{4\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{4\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.41421</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>5.23607</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{16,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>95.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{29}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.4802</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(11-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.19098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(11-\sqrt{5}\right)} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>5.48037</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{17,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>98.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{31}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.51954</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(7+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\psi \phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>5.62605</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{18,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>104.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{8}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{15}{4}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.58114</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{5} \sqrt{\phi ^4}</math></small>
|<small><math>5.8541</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{19,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>108.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{9}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{10}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>c_{3,1}+c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(1+\sqrt{5}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>1.61803</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi </math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1+\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.61803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>5.9907</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{20,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>110.2{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.64042</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(13-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.69098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\phi ^2}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.07359</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{21,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>113.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{19}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.67601</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{\chi }{\phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.20537</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{22,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>120{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{10}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{3\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{3\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.73205</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{6} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>6.41285</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{23,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>124.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{41}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }+\frac{5}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.7658</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4-\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4-\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.11803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\chi \phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.53779</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{24,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>130.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{20}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.81907</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(11+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{\sqrt{5}}{\phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.73503</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{25,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>135.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+3 \sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.85123</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\phi ^2}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\phi ^4}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.42705}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^4</math></small>
|<small><math>6.8541</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{26,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>138.6{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{12}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.87083</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{7} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>6.92667</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{27,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>144{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{12}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{5}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(5+\sqrt{5}\right)} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(5+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.90211</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\phi +2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2+\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.61803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{2 \phi +4}</math></small>
|<small><math>7.0425</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{28,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>154.8{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.95167</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(13+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{1}{\phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>7.22598</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{29,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>164.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{14}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{15}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi c_{12,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} \left(1+\sqrt{5}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>1.98168</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3 \phi ^2}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.92705}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>7.33708</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{30,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>180{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{15}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{2\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{2\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.</math></small>
|<small><math>2</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4.}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 \sqrt{2} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>7.40492</math></small>
|-
|rowspan=4 colspan=6|
|rowspan=4 colspan=4|
<small><math>\phi</math></small> is the golden ratio:<br>
<small><math>\phi ^2-\phi -1=0</math></small><br>
<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }+1=\phi</math></small>, and: <small><math>\phi+1=\phi^2</math></small><br>
<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }::1::\phi ::\phi ^2</math></small><br>
<small><math>1/\phi</math></small> and <small><math>\phi</math></small> are the golden sections of <small><math>\sqrt{5}</math></small>:<br>
<small><math>\phi +\frac{1}{\phi }=\sqrt{5}</math></small>
|colspan=2|<small><math>\phi = (\sqrt{5} + 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>1.618034</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\chi = (3\sqrt{5} + 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>3.854102</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\psi = (3\sqrt{5} - 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.854102</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\psi = 11/\chi = 22/(3\sqrt{5} + 1)</math></small>
|<small><math>2.854102</math></small>
|}
...
== The 8-point regular polytopes ==
In 2-space we have the regular 8-point octagon, in 3-space the regular 8-point cube, and in 4-space the regular 8-point [[W:16-cell|16-cell]].
A planar octagon with rigid edges of unit length has chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1,r_2=\sqrt{2+\sqrt{2}} \approx 1.84776,r_3=1+\sqrt{2} \approx 2.41421,r_4=\sqrt{4 + \sqrt{8}} \approx 2.61313</math>
The chord ratio <math>r_3=1+\sqrt{2}</math> is a geometrical proportion, the [[W:Silver ratio|silver ratio]]. Fontaine and Hurley's procedure for obtaining the reciprocal of a chord tells us that:
:<math>r_3-r_1-r_1=1/r_3 \approx 0.41421</math>
Notice that <math>1/r_3=\sqrt{2}-1=r_3-2</math>.
If we embed this planar octagon in 3-space, we can fold it to reposition its vertices so that each is one unit-edge-length distant from three others instead of two others, so we obtain a unit-edge cube with chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1, r_2=\sqrt{2}, r_3=\sqrt{3}, r_4=\sqrt{2}</math>
If we embed this cube in 4-space, we can fold it to reposition its vertices so that each is one unit-edge-length distant from six others instead of three others, so we obtain a unit-edge 4-polytope with chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1,r_2=1,r_3=1,r_4=\sqrt{2}</math>
All of its chords except its long diameters are the same unit length as its edge. In fact they are its 24 edges, and it is a 16-cell of radius <small><math>1/\sqrt{2}</math></small>.
The [[16-cell]] is the [[W:Regular convex 4-polytope|regular convex 4-polytope]] with [[W:Schläfli symbol|Schläfli symbol]] {3,3,4}. It has 8 vertices, 24 edges, 32 equilateral triangle faces, and 16 regular tetrahedron cells. It is the [[16-cell#Octahedral dipyramid|four-dimensional analogue of the octahedron]].
The only planar regular polygons found in the 16-cell are face triangles and central plane squares, but the 16-cell also contains a regular skew octagon, its [[W:Petrie polygon|Petrie polygon]]. The chords of this regular octagon, which lies skew in 4-space, are those given above for the 16-cell, as opposed to those for the cube or the regular octagon in the plane. The 16-cell has 3 such Petrie octagons, which share the same 8 vertices but have disjoint sets of 8 edges each.
The regular octad has higher symmetry in 4-space than it does in 2-space. The 16-cell is the 4-orthoplex, the simplest regular 4-polytope after the [[5-cell|4-simplex]]. All the larger regular 4-polytopes are compounds of the 16-cell. The regular octagon exhibits this high symmetry only when embedded in 4-space at the vertices of the 16-cell.
The 16-cell constitutes an [[W:Orthonormal basis|orthonormal basis]] for the choice of a 4-dimensional Cartesian reference frame, because its vertices define four orthogonal axes. The eight vertices of a unit-radius 16-cell are (±1, 0, 0, 0), (0, ±1, 0, 0), (0, 0, ±1, 0), (0, 0, 0, ±1). All vertices are connected by <small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small> edges except opposite pairs.
The vertex coordinates form 6 [[W:Orthogonal|orthogonal]] central squares lying in 6 coordinate planes. Great squares in ''opposite'' planes that do not share an axis (e.g. in the ''xy'' and ''wz'' planes) are completely disjoint (they do not intersect at any vertices). These planes are [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]].{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}}
[[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space]] can be seen as the composition of two 2-dimensional rotations in completely orthogonal planes. The general rotation in 4-space is a double rotation in pairs of completely orthogonal invariant rotation planes. The two completely orthogonal rotations are independent, in that they are not geometrically constrained to turn at the same rate, but the most circular kind of rotation (as opposed to an elliptical double rotation) occurs when the completely orthogonal planes do rotate through the same angle in the same time interval. Such equi-angled double rotations are called isoclinic.
The 16-cell is the simplest possible frame in which to [[16-cell#Rotations|observe 4-dimensional rotations]] because each of the 16-cell's 6 great square planes has just one other completely orthogonal great square plane. In the 16-cell an isoclinic rotation by 90° of any pair of completely orthogonal square central planes takes every square central plane to its completely orthogonal square central plane, and every vertex to the position 180° degrees away.
== Hypercubes ==
The long diameter of the unit-edge [[W:Hypercube|hypercube]] of dimension <small><math>n</math></small> is <small><math>\sqrt{n}</math></small>, so the unit-edge [[w:Tesseract|4-cube (the 8-cell tesseract)]] has chords:
:<math>r_1=\sqrt{1},r_2=\sqrt{2},r_3=\sqrt{3},r_4=\sqrt{4}</math>
Uniquely in its 4-dimensional case, the hypercube's edge length equals its radius, like the hexagon. We call such polytopes ''radially equilateral'', because they can be constructed from equilateral triangles which meet at their center, each contributing two radii and an edge.
== Conclusions ==
Fontaine and Hurley's discovery is more than a formula for the reciprocal of a regular ''n''-polygon diagonal. It also yields the discrete sequence of isocline chords of the distinct isoclinic rotation characteristic of a ''d''-dimensional regular polytope. The characteristic rotational chord sequence of the ''d''-polytope can also be represented geometrically in two dimensions on a distinct star ''n''-polygon, but it lies on a geodesic circle through ''d''-dimensional space. Fontaine and Hurley discovered the geodesic topology of polytopes generally. Their procedure will reveal the geodesics of arbitrary non-uniform polytopes, since it can be applied to a polytope of any dimensionality and irregularity, by first fitting the polytope to the smallest regular polygon whose chords include its chords.
Fontaine and Hurley's discovery of a chordal formula for isoclinic rotations closes the circuit on Kappraff and Adamson's discovery of a rotational connection between dynamical systems, Steinbach's golden fields, and Coxeter's Euclidean geometry of ''n'' dimensions. Application of the Fontaine and Hurley procedure in higher-dimensional spaces demonstrates why the connection exists: because polytope sequences generally, from Steinbach's golden polygon chords to subsumption relations among 4-polytopes, arise as expressions of the reflections and rotations of distinct Coxeter symmetry groups, when those various groups interact.
== Appendix: Sequence of regular 4-polytopes ==
{{Regular convex 4-polytopes|wiki=W:|columns=7}}
== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}
== Citations ==
{{Reflist}}
== References ==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{Cite journal | last=Steinbach | first=Peter | year=1997 | title=Golden fields: A case for the Heptagon | journal=Mathematics Magazine | volume=70 | issue=Feb 1997 | pages=22–31 | doi=10.1080/0025570X.1997.11996494 | jstor=2691048 | ref={{SfnRef|Steinbach|1997}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last=Steinbach | first=Peter | year=2000 | title=Sections Beyond Golden| journal=Bridges: Mathematical Connections in Art, Music and Science | issue=2000 | pages=35-44 | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2000/bridges2000-35.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Steinbach|2000}}}}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Kappraff | first1=Jay | last2=Jablan | first2=Slavik | last3=Adamson | first3=Gary | last4=Sazdanovich | first4=Radmila | year=2004 | title=Golden Fields, Generalized Fibonacci Sequences, and Chaotic Matrices | journal=Forma | volume=19 | pages=367-387 | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2005/bridges2005-369.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Kappraff, Jablan, Adamson & Sazdanovich|2004}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Kappraff | first1=Jay | last2=Adamson | first2=Gary | year=2004 | title=Polygons and Chaos | journal=Dynamical Systems and Geometric Theories | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2001/bridges2001-67.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Kappraff & Adamson|2004}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Fontaine | first1=Anne | last2=Hurley | first2=Susan | year=2006 | title=Proof by Picture: Products and Reciprocals of Diagonal Length Ratios in the Regular Polygon | journal=Forum Geometricorum | volume=6 | pages=97-101 | url=https://scispace.com/pdf/proof-by-picture-products-and-reciprocals-of-diagonal-length-1aian8mgp9.pdf }}
{{Refend}}
axf0xvh9iqil3o5c72gdr5ffly8ah3b
2805692
2805691
2026-04-20T20:22:56Z
Dc.samizdat
2856930
/* The 8-point regular polytopes */
2805692
wikitext
text/x-wiki
{{align|center|David Brooks Christie}}
{{align|center|dc@samizdat.org}}
{{align|center|Draft in progress}}
{{align|center|January 2026 - April 2026}}
<blockquote>Steinbach discovered the formula for the ratios of diagonal to side in the regular polygons. Fontaine and Hurley extended this result, discovering a formula for the reciprocal of a regular polygon chord derived geometrically from the chord's distinct star polygon. We observe that these findings in plane geometry apply more generally, to polytopes of any dimensionality. Fontaine and Hurley's geometric procedure for finding the reciprocals of the chords of a regular polygon from their regular star polygons also finds the rotational geodesics of any polytope of any dimensionality.</blockquote>
== Introduction ==
Steinbach discovered the Diagonal Product Formula and the Golden Fields family of ratios of diagonal to side in the regular polygons. He showed how this family extends beyond the pentagon {5} with its well-known golden bisection proportional to 𝜙, finding that the heptagon {7} has an analogous trisection, the nonagon {9} has an analogous quadrasection, and the hendecagon {11} has an analogous pentasection, an extended family of golden proportions with quasiperiodic properties.
Kappraff and Adamson extended these findings in plane geometry to a theory of Generalized Fibonacci Sequences, showing that the Golden Fields not only do not end with the hendecagon, they form an infinite number of periodic trajectories when operated on by the Mandelbrot operator. They found a relation between the edges of star polygons and dynamical systems in the state of chaos, revealing a connection between chaos theory, number, and rotations in Coxeter Euclidean geometry.
Fontaine and Hurley examined Steinbach's finding that the length of each chord of a regular polygon is both the product of two smaller chords and the sum of a set of smaller chords, so that in rotations to add is to multiply. They illustrated Steinbach's sets of additive chords lying parallel to each other in the plane (pointing in the same direction), and by applying Steinbach's formula more generally they found another summation relation of signed parallel chords (pointing in opposite directions) which relates each chord length to its reciprocal, and relates the summation to a distinct star polygon rotation.
We examine these remarkable findings (which stem from study of the chords of humble regular polygons) in higher-dimensional spaces, specifically in the chords, polygons and rotations of the 120-cell, the largest four-dimensional regular convex polytope.
== Thirty distinguished distances ==
The 30 numbers listed in the table are all-important in Euclidean geometry. A case can be made on symmetry grounds that their squares are the 30 most important numbers between 0 and 4. The 30 rows of the table are the 30 discrete chord lengths of the unit-radius 120-cell, the largest regular convex 4-polytope. Since the 120-cell subsumes all smaller regular polytopes, its 30 chords are the complete chord set of all the regular polytopes that can be constructed in the first four dimensions of Euclidean space, except for regular polygons of more than 15 sides. Consequently these chords may be considered the 30 most significant discrete distances in geometry.
{| class="wikitable" style="white-space:nowrap;text-align:center"
!rowspan=2|<math>c_t</math>
!rowspan=2|arc
!rowspan=2|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{n}\right\}</math></small>
!rowspan=2|<math>\left\{p\right\}</math>
!rowspan=2|<small><math>m\left\{\frac{k}{d}\right\}</math></small>
!rowspan=2|Steinbach roots
!colspan=7|Chord lengths of the unit 120-cell
|-
!colspan=5|unit-radius length <math>c_t</math>
!colspan=2|unit-edge length <math>c_t/c_1</math><br>in 120-cell of radius <math>c_8=\sqrt{2}\phi^2</math>
|-
|<small><math>c_{1,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>15.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{30\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{30\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>c_{4,1}-c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7-3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.270091</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2} \phi ^2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2 \phi ^4}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.072949}</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1.</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>25.2{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>2 \left\{15\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(c_{18,1}-c_{4,1}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{3-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.437016</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2} \phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2 \phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.190983}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi </math></small>
|<small><math>1.61803</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{3,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>36{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{10\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>3 \left\{\frac{10}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(\sqrt{5}-1\right) c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(\sqrt{5}-1\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>0.618034</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.381966}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>2.28825</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>41.4{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{c_{8,1}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.707107</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.61803</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{5,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>44.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{4}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>2 \left\{\frac{15}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{9-3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.756934</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}}{\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2 \phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.572949}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>2.80252</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{6,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>49.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{17}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{5-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{5-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.831254</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\sqrt{5}}{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.690983}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>3.07768</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{7,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>56.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{20}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{\phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.93913</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{\psi }{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.881966}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\psi \phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>3.47709</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>60{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{6\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{6\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1.</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>3.70246</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{9,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>66.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{40}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{2 \phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.09132</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{\chi }{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\chi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.19098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\chi \phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>4.04057</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{10,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>69.8{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2 \sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.14412</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\phi }{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\phi ^2}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>4.23607</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{11,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>72{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{6}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{5\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{5\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.17557</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3-\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3-\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.38197}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \sqrt{3-\phi } \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.3525</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{12,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>75.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{24}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.22474</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.53457</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{13,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>81.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.30038</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(9-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.69098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(9-\sqrt{5}\right)} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.8146</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{14,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>84.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{40}{9}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi } c_{8,1}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{1+\sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.345</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi }}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\sqrt{5} \phi }{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>4.9798</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{15,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>90.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{4\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{4\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.41421</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>5.23607</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{16,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>95.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{29}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.4802</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(11-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.19098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(11-\sqrt{5}\right)} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>5.48037</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{17,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>98.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{31}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.51954</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(7+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\psi \phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>5.62605</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{18,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>104.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{8}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{15}{4}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.58114</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{5} \sqrt{\phi ^4}</math></small>
|<small><math>5.8541</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{19,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>108.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{9}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{10}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>c_{3,1}+c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(1+\sqrt{5}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>1.61803</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi </math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1+\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.61803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>5.9907</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{20,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>110.2{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.64042</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(13-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.69098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\phi ^2}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.07359</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{21,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>113.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{19}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.67601</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{\chi }{\phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.20537</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{22,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>120{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{10}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{3\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{3\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.73205</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{6} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>6.41285</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{23,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>124.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{41}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }+\frac{5}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.7658</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4-\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4-\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.11803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\chi \phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.53779</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{24,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>130.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{20}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.81907</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(11+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{\sqrt{5}}{\phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.73503</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{25,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>135.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+3 \sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.85123</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\phi ^2}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\phi ^4}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.42705}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^4</math></small>
|<small><math>6.8541</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{26,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>138.6{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{12}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.87083</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{7} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>6.92667</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{27,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>144{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{12}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{5}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(5+\sqrt{5}\right)} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(5+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.90211</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\phi +2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2+\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.61803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{2 \phi +4}</math></small>
|<small><math>7.0425</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{28,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>154.8{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.95167</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(13+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{1}{\phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>7.22598</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{29,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>164.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{14}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{15}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi c_{12,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} \left(1+\sqrt{5}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>1.98168</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3 \phi ^2}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.92705}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>7.33708</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{30,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>180{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{15}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{2\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{2\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.</math></small>
|<small><math>2</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4.}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 \sqrt{2} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>7.40492</math></small>
|-
|rowspan=4 colspan=6|
|rowspan=4 colspan=4|
<small><math>\phi</math></small> is the golden ratio:<br>
<small><math>\phi ^2-\phi -1=0</math></small><br>
<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }+1=\phi</math></small>, and: <small><math>\phi+1=\phi^2</math></small><br>
<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }::1::\phi ::\phi ^2</math></small><br>
<small><math>1/\phi</math></small> and <small><math>\phi</math></small> are the golden sections of <small><math>\sqrt{5}</math></small>:<br>
<small><math>\phi +\frac{1}{\phi }=\sqrt{5}</math></small>
|colspan=2|<small><math>\phi = (\sqrt{5} + 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>1.618034</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\chi = (3\sqrt{5} + 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>3.854102</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\psi = (3\sqrt{5} - 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.854102</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\psi = 11/\chi = 22/(3\sqrt{5} + 1)</math></small>
|<small><math>2.854102</math></small>
|}
...
== The 8-point regular polytopes ==
In 2-space we have the regular 8-point octagon, in 3-space the regular 8-point cube, and in 4-space the regular 8-point [[W:16-cell|16-cell]].
A planar octagon with rigid edges of unit length has chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1,r_2=\sqrt{2+\sqrt{2}} \approx 1.84776,r_3=1+\sqrt{2} \approx 2.41421,r_4=\sqrt{4 + \sqrt{8}} \approx 2.61313</math>
The chord ratio <math>r_3=1+\sqrt{2}</math> is a geometrical proportion, the [[W:Silver ratio|silver ratio]]. Fontaine and Hurley's procedure for obtaining the reciprocal of a chord tells us that:
:<math>r_3-r_1-r_1=1/r_3 \approx 0.41421</math>
Notice that <math>1/r_3=\sqrt{2}-1=r_3-2</math>.
If we embed this planar octagon in 3-space, we can reposition its vertices so that each is one unit-edge-length distant from three others instead of two others, so we obtain a unit-edge cube with chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1, r_2=\sqrt{2}, r_3=\sqrt{3}, r_4=\sqrt{2}</math>
If we embed this cube in 4-space, we can reposition its vertices so that each is one unit-edge-length distant from six others instead of three others, so we obtain a unit-edge 4-polytope with chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1,r_2=1,r_3=1,r_4=\sqrt{2}</math>
All of its chords except its long diameters are the same unit length as its edge. In fact they are its 24 edges, and it is a 16-cell of radius <small><math>1/\sqrt{2}</math></small>.
The [[16-cell]] is the [[W:Regular convex 4-polytope|regular convex 4-polytope]] with [[W:Schläfli symbol|Schläfli symbol]] {3,3,4}. It has 8 vertices, 24 edges, 32 equilateral triangle faces, and 16 regular tetrahedron cells. It is the [[16-cell#Octahedral dipyramid|four-dimensional analogue of the octahedron]].
The only planar regular polygons found in the 16-cell are face triangles and central plane squares, but the 16-cell also contains a regular skew octagon, its [[W:Petrie polygon|Petrie polygon]]. The chords of this regular octagon, which lies skew in 4-space, are those given above for the 16-cell, as opposed to those for the cube or the regular octagon in the plane. The 16-cell has 3 such Petrie octagons, which share the same 8 vertices but have disjoint sets of 8 edges each.
The regular octad has higher symmetry in 4-space than it does in 2-space. The 16-cell is the 4-orthoplex, the simplest regular 4-polytope after the [[5-cell|4-simplex]]. All the larger regular 4-polytopes are compounds of the 16-cell. The regular octagon exhibits this high symmetry only when embedded in 4-space at the vertices of the 16-cell.
The 16-cell constitutes an [[W:Orthonormal basis|orthonormal basis]] for the choice of a 4-dimensional Cartesian reference frame, because its vertices define four orthogonal axes. The eight vertices of a unit-radius 16-cell are (±1, 0, 0, 0), (0, ±1, 0, 0), (0, 0, ±1, 0), (0, 0, 0, ±1). All vertices are connected by <small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small> edges except opposite pairs.
The vertex coordinates form 6 [[W:Orthogonal|orthogonal]] central squares lying in 6 coordinate planes. Great squares in ''opposite'' planes that do not share an axis (e.g. in the ''xy'' and ''wz'' planes) are completely disjoint (they do not intersect at any vertices). These planes are [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]].{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}}
[[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space]] can be seen as the composition of two 2-dimensional rotations in completely orthogonal planes. The general rotation in 4-space is a double rotation in pairs of completely orthogonal invariant rotation planes. The two completely orthogonal rotations are independent, in that they are not geometrically constrained to turn at the same rate, but the most circular kind of rotation (as opposed to an elliptical double rotation) occurs when the completely orthogonal planes do rotate through the same angle in the same time interval. Such equi-angled double rotations are called isoclinic.
The 16-cell is the simplest possible frame in which to [[16-cell#Rotations|observe 4-dimensional rotations]] because each of the 16-cell's 6 great square planes has just one other completely orthogonal great square plane. In the 16-cell an isoclinic rotation by 90° of any pair of completely orthogonal square central planes takes every square central plane to its completely orthogonal square central plane, and every vertex to the position 180° degrees away.
== Hypercubes ==
The long diameter of the unit-edge [[W:Hypercube|hypercube]] of dimension <small><math>n</math></small> is <small><math>\sqrt{n}</math></small>, so the unit-edge [[w:Tesseract|4-cube (the 8-cell tesseract)]] has chords:
:<math>r_1=\sqrt{1},r_2=\sqrt{2},r_3=\sqrt{3},r_4=\sqrt{4}</math>
Uniquely in its 4-dimensional case, the hypercube's edge length equals its radius, like the hexagon. We call such polytopes ''radially equilateral'', because they can be constructed from equilateral triangles which meet at their center, each contributing two radii and an edge.
== Conclusions ==
Fontaine and Hurley's discovery is more than a formula for the reciprocal of a regular ''n''-polygon diagonal. It also yields the discrete sequence of isocline chords of the distinct isoclinic rotation characteristic of a ''d''-dimensional regular polytope. The characteristic rotational chord sequence of the ''d''-polytope can also be represented geometrically in two dimensions on a distinct star ''n''-polygon, but it lies on a geodesic circle through ''d''-dimensional space. Fontaine and Hurley discovered the geodesic topology of polytopes generally. Their procedure will reveal the geodesics of arbitrary non-uniform polytopes, since it can be applied to a polytope of any dimensionality and irregularity, by first fitting the polytope to the smallest regular polygon whose chords include its chords.
Fontaine and Hurley's discovery of a chordal formula for isoclinic rotations closes the circuit on Kappraff and Adamson's discovery of a rotational connection between dynamical systems, Steinbach's golden fields, and Coxeter's Euclidean geometry of ''n'' dimensions. Application of the Fontaine and Hurley procedure in higher-dimensional spaces demonstrates why the connection exists: because polytope sequences generally, from Steinbach's golden polygon chords to subsumption relations among 4-polytopes, arise as expressions of the reflections and rotations of distinct Coxeter symmetry groups, when those various groups interact.
== Appendix: Sequence of regular 4-polytopes ==
{{Regular convex 4-polytopes|wiki=W:|columns=7}}
== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}
== Citations ==
{{Reflist}}
== References ==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{Cite journal | last=Steinbach | first=Peter | year=1997 | title=Golden fields: A case for the Heptagon | journal=Mathematics Magazine | volume=70 | issue=Feb 1997 | pages=22–31 | doi=10.1080/0025570X.1997.11996494 | jstor=2691048 | ref={{SfnRef|Steinbach|1997}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last=Steinbach | first=Peter | year=2000 | title=Sections Beyond Golden| journal=Bridges: Mathematical Connections in Art, Music and Science | issue=2000 | pages=35-44 | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2000/bridges2000-35.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Steinbach|2000}}}}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Kappraff | first1=Jay | last2=Jablan | first2=Slavik | last3=Adamson | first3=Gary | last4=Sazdanovich | first4=Radmila | year=2004 | title=Golden Fields, Generalized Fibonacci Sequences, and Chaotic Matrices | journal=Forma | volume=19 | pages=367-387 | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2005/bridges2005-369.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Kappraff, Jablan, Adamson & Sazdanovich|2004}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Kappraff | first1=Jay | last2=Adamson | first2=Gary | year=2004 | title=Polygons and Chaos | journal=Dynamical Systems and Geometric Theories | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2001/bridges2001-67.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Kappraff & Adamson|2004}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Fontaine | first1=Anne | last2=Hurley | first2=Susan | year=2006 | title=Proof by Picture: Products and Reciprocals of Diagonal Length Ratios in the Regular Polygon | journal=Forum Geometricorum | volume=6 | pages=97-101 | url=https://scispace.com/pdf/proof-by-picture-products-and-reciprocals-of-diagonal-length-1aian8mgp9.pdf }}
{{Refend}}
b26o2z06cfjjzo3yg9xonlc0vtpp1um
2805712
2805692
2026-04-20T21:17:09Z
Dc.samizdat
2856930
/* The 8-point regular polytopes */
2805712
wikitext
text/x-wiki
{{align|center|David Brooks Christie}}
{{align|center|dc@samizdat.org}}
{{align|center|Draft in progress}}
{{align|center|January 2026 - April 2026}}
<blockquote>Steinbach discovered the formula for the ratios of diagonal to side in the regular polygons. Fontaine and Hurley extended this result, discovering a formula for the reciprocal of a regular polygon chord derived geometrically from the chord's distinct star polygon. We observe that these findings in plane geometry apply more generally, to polytopes of any dimensionality. Fontaine and Hurley's geometric procedure for finding the reciprocals of the chords of a regular polygon from their regular star polygons also finds the rotational geodesics of any polytope of any dimensionality.</blockquote>
== Introduction ==
Steinbach discovered the Diagonal Product Formula and the Golden Fields family of ratios of diagonal to side in the regular polygons. He showed how this family extends beyond the pentagon {5} with its well-known golden bisection proportional to 𝜙, finding that the heptagon {7} has an analogous trisection, the nonagon {9} has an analogous quadrasection, and the hendecagon {11} has an analogous pentasection, an extended family of golden proportions with quasiperiodic properties.
Kappraff and Adamson extended these findings in plane geometry to a theory of Generalized Fibonacci Sequences, showing that the Golden Fields not only do not end with the hendecagon, they form an infinite number of periodic trajectories when operated on by the Mandelbrot operator. They found a relation between the edges of star polygons and dynamical systems in the state of chaos, revealing a connection between chaos theory, number, and rotations in Coxeter Euclidean geometry.
Fontaine and Hurley examined Steinbach's finding that the length of each chord of a regular polygon is both the product of two smaller chords and the sum of a set of smaller chords, so that in rotations to add is to multiply. They illustrated Steinbach's sets of additive chords lying parallel to each other in the plane (pointing in the same direction), and by applying Steinbach's formula more generally they found another summation relation of signed parallel chords (pointing in opposite directions) which relates each chord length to its reciprocal, and relates the summation to a distinct star polygon rotation.
We examine these remarkable findings (which stem from study of the chords of humble regular polygons) in higher-dimensional spaces, specifically in the chords, polygons and rotations of the 120-cell, the largest four-dimensional regular convex polytope.
== Thirty distinguished distances ==
The 30 numbers listed in the table are all-important in Euclidean geometry. A case can be made on symmetry grounds that their squares are the 30 most important numbers between 0 and 4. The 30 rows of the table are the 30 discrete chord lengths of the unit-radius 120-cell, the largest regular convex 4-polytope. Since the 120-cell subsumes all smaller regular polytopes, its 30 chords are the complete chord set of all the regular polytopes that can be constructed in the first four dimensions of Euclidean space, except for regular polygons of more than 15 sides. Consequently these chords may be considered the 30 most significant discrete distances in geometry.
{| class="wikitable" style="white-space:nowrap;text-align:center"
!rowspan=2|<math>c_t</math>
!rowspan=2|arc
!rowspan=2|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{n}\right\}</math></small>
!rowspan=2|<math>\left\{p\right\}</math>
!rowspan=2|<small><math>m\left\{\frac{k}{d}\right\}</math></small>
!rowspan=2|Steinbach roots
!colspan=7|Chord lengths of the unit 120-cell
|-
!colspan=5|unit-radius length <math>c_t</math>
!colspan=2|unit-edge length <math>c_t/c_1</math><br>in 120-cell of radius <math>c_8=\sqrt{2}\phi^2</math>
|-
|<small><math>c_{1,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>15.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{30\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{30\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>c_{4,1}-c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7-3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.270091</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2} \phi ^2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2 \phi ^4}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.072949}</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1.</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>25.2{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>2 \left\{15\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(c_{18,1}-c_{4,1}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{3-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.437016</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2} \phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2 \phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.190983}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi </math></small>
|<small><math>1.61803</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{3,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>36{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{10\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>3 \left\{\frac{10}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(\sqrt{5}-1\right) c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(\sqrt{5}-1\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>0.618034</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.381966}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>2.28825</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>41.4{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{c_{8,1}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.707107</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.61803</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{5,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>44.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{4}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>2 \left\{\frac{15}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} c_{2,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{9-3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.756934</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}}{\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2 \phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.572949}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>2.80252</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{6,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>49.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{17}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{5-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{5-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.831254</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\sqrt{5}}{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.690983}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>3.07768</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{7,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>56.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{20}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{\phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>0.93913</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{\psi }{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{0.881966}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\psi \phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>3.47709</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>60{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{6\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{6\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>1.</math></small>
|<small><math>1</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>3.70246</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{9,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>66.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{40}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{2 \phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}-\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.09132</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{\frac{\chi }{\phi }}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\chi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.19098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\chi \phi ^3}</math></small>
|<small><math>4.04057</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{10,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>69.8{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2 \sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.14412</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\phi }{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\phi ^2}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>4.23607</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{11,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>72{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{6}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{5\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{5\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.17557</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3-\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3-\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.38197}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \sqrt{3-\phi } \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.3525</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{12,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>75.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{24}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.22474</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.53457</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{13,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>81.1{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.30038</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{9-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(9-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.69098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(9-\sqrt{5}\right)} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>4.8146</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{14,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>84.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{40}{9}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi } c_{8,1}}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{1+\sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.345</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi }}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\sqrt{5} \phi }{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt[4]{5} \sqrt{\phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>4.9798</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{15,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>90.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{4\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{4\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 c_{4,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.41421</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>5.23607</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{16,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>95.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{29}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.4802</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(11-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.19098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(11-\sqrt{5}\right)} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>5.48037</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{17,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>98.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{31}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.51954</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{7+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(7+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\psi \phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>5.62605</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{18,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>104.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{8}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{15}{4}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.58114</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{5} \sqrt{\phi ^4}</math></small>
|<small><math>5.8541</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{19,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>108.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{9}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{10}{3}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>c_{3,1}+c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \left(1+\sqrt{5}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>1.61803</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi </math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{1+\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.61803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2} \phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>5.9907</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{20,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>110.2{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.64042</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13-\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(13-\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.69098}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\phi ^2}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.07359</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{21,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>113.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{60}{19}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.67601</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{1}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{\chi }{\phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.20537</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{22,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>120{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{10}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{3\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{3\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.73205</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{6} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>6.41285</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{23,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>124.0{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{120}{41}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{\phi }+\frac{5}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}+\frac{2}{1+\sqrt{5}}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.7658</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4-\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4-\frac{\psi }{2 \phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.11803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\chi \phi ^5}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.53779</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{24,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>130.9{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{20}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.81907</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{11+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(11+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.30902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{\sqrt{5}}{\phi }}</math></small>
|<small><math>6.73503</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{25,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>135.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{11}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+3 \sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{7+3 \sqrt{5}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.85123</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\phi ^2}{\sqrt{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{\phi ^4}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.42705}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^4</math></small>
|<small><math>6.8541</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{26,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>138.6{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{12}{5}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.87083</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{7}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.5}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{7} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>6.92667</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{27,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>144{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{12}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{5}{2}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(5+\sqrt{5}\right)} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} \left(5+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.90211</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\phi +2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{2+\phi }</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.61803}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{2 \phi +4}</math></small>
|<small><math>7.0425</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{28,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>154.8{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{13}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}} c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>1.95167</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{\sqrt{13+\sqrt{5}}}{2}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{1}{4} \left(13+\sqrt{5}\right)}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.80902}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi ^2 \sqrt{8-\frac{1}{\phi ^2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>7.22598</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{29,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>164.5{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{14}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math></math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{15}{7}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\phi c_{12,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>\frac{1}{2} \sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} \left(1+\sqrt{5}\right)</math></small>
|<small><math>1.98168</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3}{2}} \phi </math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{\frac{3 \phi ^2}{2}}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3.92705}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{3} \phi ^3</math></small>
|<small><math>7.33708</math></small>
|-
|<small><math>c_{30,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>180{}^{\circ}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{\frac{30}{15}\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{2\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>\left\{2\right\}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 c_{8,1}</math></small>
|<small><math>2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.</math></small>
|<small><math>2</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4}</math></small>
|<small><math>\sqrt{4.}</math></small>
|<small><math>2 \sqrt{2} \phi ^2</math></small>
|<small><math>7.40492</math></small>
|-
|rowspan=4 colspan=6|
|rowspan=4 colspan=4|
<small><math>\phi</math></small> is the golden ratio:<br>
<small><math>\phi ^2-\phi -1=0</math></small><br>
<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }+1=\phi</math></small>, and: <small><math>\phi+1=\phi^2</math></small><br>
<small><math>\frac{1}{\phi }::1::\phi ::\phi ^2</math></small><br>
<small><math>1/\phi</math></small> and <small><math>\phi</math></small> are the golden sections of <small><math>\sqrt{5}</math></small>:<br>
<small><math>\phi +\frac{1}{\phi }=\sqrt{5}</math></small>
|colspan=2|<small><math>\phi = (\sqrt{5} + 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>1.618034</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\chi = (3\sqrt{5} + 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>3.854102</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\psi = (3\sqrt{5} - 1)/2</math></small>
|<small><math>2.854102</math></small>
|-
|colspan=2|<small><math>\psi = 11/\chi = 22/(3\sqrt{5} + 1)</math></small>
|<small><math>2.854102</math></small>
|}
...
== The 8-point regular polytopes ==
In 2-space we have the regular 8-point octagon, in 3-space the regular 8-point cube, and in 4-space the regular 8-point [[W:16-cell|16-cell]].
A planar octagon with rigid edges of unit length has chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1,r_2=\sqrt{2+\sqrt{2}} \approx 1.84776,r_3=1+\sqrt{2} \approx 2.41421,r_4=\sqrt{4 + \sqrt{8}} \approx 2.61313</math>
The chord ratio <math>r_3=1+\sqrt{2}</math> is a geometrical proportion, the [[W:Silver ratio|silver ratio]]. Fontaine and Hurley's procedure for obtaining the reciprocal of a chord tells us that:
:<math>r_3-r_1-r_1=1/r_3 \approx 0.41421</math>
Notice that <math>1/r_3=\sqrt{2}-1=r_3-2</math>.
If we embed this planar octagon in 3-space, we can reposition its vertices so that each is one unit-edge-length distant from three others instead of two others, so we obtain a unit-edge cube with chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1, r_2=\sqrt{2}, r_3=\sqrt{3}, r_4=\sqrt{2}</math>
If we embed this cube in 4-space, we can reposition its vertices so that each is one unit-edge-length distant from six others instead of three others, so we obtain a unit-edge 4-polytope with chords of length:
:<math>r_1=1,r_2=1,r_3=1,r_4=\sqrt{2}</math>
All of its chords except its long diameters are the same unit length as its edge. In fact they are its 24 edges, and it is a 16-cell of radius <small><math>1/\sqrt{2}</math></small>.
The [[16-cell]] is the [[W:Regular convex 4-polytope|regular convex 4-polytope]] with [[W:Schläfli symbol|Schläfli symbol]] {3,3,4}. It has 8 vertices, 24 edges, 32 equilateral triangle faces, and 16 regular tetrahedron cells. It is the [[16-cell#Octahedral dipyramid|four-dimensional analogue of the octahedron]].
The only planar regular polygons found in the 16-cell are face triangles and central plane squares, but the 16-cell also contains a regular skew octagon, its [[W:Petrie polygon|Petrie polygon]]. The chords of this regular octagon, which lies skew in 4-space, are those given above for the 16-cell, as opposed to those for the cube or the regular octagon in the plane. The 16-cell has 3 such Petrie octagons, which share the same 8 vertices but have disjoint sets of 8 edges each.
The regular octad has higher symmetry in 4-space than it does in 2-space. The 16-cell is the 4-orthoplex, the simplest regular 4-polytope after the [[5-cell|4-simplex]]. All the larger regular 4-polytopes are compounds of the 16-cell. The regular octagon exhibits this high symmetry only when embedded in 4-space at the vertices of the 16-cell.
The 16-cell constitutes an [[W:Orthonormal basis|orthonormal basis]] for the choice of a 4-dimensional Cartesian reference frame, because its vertices define four orthogonal axes. The eight vertices of a unit-radius 16-cell are (±1, 0, 0, 0), (0, ±1, 0, 0), (0, 0, ±1, 0), (0, 0, 0, ±1). All vertices are connected by <small><math>\sqrt{2}</math></small> edges except opposite pairs.
The vertex coordinates form 6 [[W:Orthogonal|orthogonal]] central squares lying in 6 coordinate planes. Great squares in ''opposite'' planes that do not share an axis (e.g. in the ''xy'' and ''wz'' planes) are completely disjoint (they do not intersect at any vertices). These planes are [[W:Completely orthogonal|completely orthogonal]].{{Efn|name=Six orthogonal planes of the Cartesian basis}}
[[W:Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space|Rotations in 4-dimensional Euclidean space]] can be seen as the composition of two 2-dimensional rotations in completely orthogonal planes. The general rotation in 4-space is a double rotation in pairs of completely orthogonal invariant rotation planes. The two completely orthogonal rotations are independent, in that they are not geometrically constrained to turn at the same rate, but the most circular kind of rotation (as opposed to an elliptical double rotation) occurs when the completely orthogonal planes do rotate through the same angle in the same time interval. Such equi-angled double rotations are called isoclinic.
The 16-cell is the simplest possible frame in which to [[16-cell#Rotations|observe 4-dimensional rotations]] because each of the 16-cell's 6 great square planes has just one other completely orthogonal great square plane. In the 16-cell an isoclinic rotation by 90° of any pair of completely orthogonal square central planes takes every square central plane to its completely orthogonal square central plane, and every vertex to the position 180° degrees away.
...
== Hypercubes ==
The long diameter of the unit-edge [[W:Hypercube|hypercube]] of dimension <small><math>n</math></small> is <small><math>\sqrt{n}</math></small>, so the unit-edge [[w:Tesseract|4-cube (the 8-cell tesseract)]] has chords:
:<math>r_1=\sqrt{1},r_2=\sqrt{2},r_3=\sqrt{3},r_4=\sqrt{4}</math>
Uniquely in its 4-dimensional case, the hypercube's edge length equals its radius, like the hexagon. We call such polytopes ''radially equilateral'', because they can be constructed from equilateral triangles which meet at their center, each contributing two radii and an edge.
== Conclusions ==
Fontaine and Hurley's discovery is more than a formula for the reciprocal of a regular ''n''-polygon diagonal. It also yields the discrete sequence of isocline chords of the distinct isoclinic rotation characteristic of a ''d''-dimensional regular polytope. The characteristic rotational chord sequence of the ''d''-polytope can also be represented geometrically in two dimensions on a distinct star ''n''-polygon, but it lies on a geodesic circle through ''d''-dimensional space. Fontaine and Hurley discovered the geodesic topology of polytopes generally. Their procedure will reveal the geodesics of arbitrary non-uniform polytopes, since it can be applied to a polytope of any dimensionality and irregularity, by first fitting the polytope to the smallest regular polygon whose chords include its chords.
Fontaine and Hurley's discovery of a chordal formula for isoclinic rotations closes the circuit on Kappraff and Adamson's discovery of a rotational connection between dynamical systems, Steinbach's golden fields, and Coxeter's Euclidean geometry of ''n'' dimensions. Application of the Fontaine and Hurley procedure in higher-dimensional spaces demonstrates why the connection exists: because polytope sequences generally, from Steinbach's golden polygon chords to subsumption relations among 4-polytopes, arise as expressions of the reflections and rotations of distinct Coxeter symmetry groups, when those various groups interact.
== Appendix: Sequence of regular 4-polytopes ==
{{Regular convex 4-polytopes|wiki=W:|columns=7}}
== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}
== Citations ==
{{Reflist}}
== References ==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{Cite journal | last=Steinbach | first=Peter | year=1997 | title=Golden fields: A case for the Heptagon | journal=Mathematics Magazine | volume=70 | issue=Feb 1997 | pages=22–31 | doi=10.1080/0025570X.1997.11996494 | jstor=2691048 | ref={{SfnRef|Steinbach|1997}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last=Steinbach | first=Peter | year=2000 | title=Sections Beyond Golden| journal=Bridges: Mathematical Connections in Art, Music and Science | issue=2000 | pages=35-44 | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2000/bridges2000-35.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Steinbach|2000}}}}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Kappraff | first1=Jay | last2=Jablan | first2=Slavik | last3=Adamson | first3=Gary | last4=Sazdanovich | first4=Radmila | year=2004 | title=Golden Fields, Generalized Fibonacci Sequences, and Chaotic Matrices | journal=Forma | volume=19 | pages=367-387 | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2005/bridges2005-369.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Kappraff, Jablan, Adamson & Sazdanovich|2004}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Kappraff | first1=Jay | last2=Adamson | first2=Gary | year=2004 | title=Polygons and Chaos | journal=Dynamical Systems and Geometric Theories | url=https://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2001/bridges2001-67.pdf | ref={{SfnRef|Kappraff & Adamson|2004}} }}
* {{Cite journal | last1=Fontaine | first1=Anne | last2=Hurley | first2=Susan | year=2006 | title=Proof by Picture: Products and Reciprocals of Diagonal Length Ratios in the Regular Polygon | journal=Forum Geometricorum | volume=6 | pages=97-101 | url=https://scispace.com/pdf/proof-by-picture-products-and-reciprocals-of-diagonal-length-1aian8mgp9.pdf }}
{{Refend}}
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Operating Systems (Hands-On)
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/* Lessons */
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[[File:Role of the pc operating system.png|alt=Abstraction from hardware, operating system, application software, user.|thumb|Multiple layers of abstraction as present in a modern computer system.]]
This is a course about computer operating systems. The aim of this course is to teach you what a computer operating system does and how they are built. The approach used throughout is a hands-on approach. We will make a case study of two common operating systems, UNIX and Windows, and then we will set about studying one operating system while we create another by borrowing code from the first.
This Wikiversity course was created for use in the CSCI 485 - Computer Operating Systems course at [https://www.utm.edu The University of Tennessee at Martin]. The course is currently under construction, and will be built out weekly as the Spring 2026 semester progresses. The course is offered here in the hopes that it will be useful to a broader audience, either those learning on their own or those looking for lesson plans to teach their own computer operating systems course.
<span id="course-objectives"></span>
== Course Objectives ==
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
# Develop both a theoretical and a practical understanding of operating systems and the machines they drive.
# Understand and apply techniques for process management, mutual exclusion, and deadlock prevention.
# Use common interfaces provided by operating systems including file systems and system calls for developing applications.
# Understand real and virtual storage systems, and be familiar with storage allocation algorithms and paging strategies.
# Obtain a working understanding of widely used operating systems such as UNIX/Linux and Windows through programming.
# Develop kernel and user level programs.
<span id="prerequisites"></span>
== Prerequisites ==
# A course in data structures.
# Knowledge of C (or C++) programming.
# Knowledge of Computer Architecture and Assembly Language programming is helpful, though sufficient coverage of this information is contained in this course.
<span id="lessons"></span>
== Lessons ==
# [[/introduction/|Introduction to Operating Systems]]
# [[/Case_Study_Unix/|Case Study: UNIX, System Calls, and Programming]]
# [[Operating Systems (Hands-On)/Case Study Windows|Case Study: Windows, System Calls, and Programming]]
# [[/Operating System Design/]]
# [[/Operating System Interface/]]
# [[/Device Drivers - Serial IO/]]
# [[/Device Drivers - Hard Disk/]]
# [[/Virtual Memory/]]
# [[Operating Systems (Hands-On)/Resource Allocation Techniques|Resource Allocation Techniques]]
# [[/Process Loading and Management/]]
# [[/CPU Scheduling and Multiprocessing/]]
# [[/Introduction to File Systems/]]
# [[/Implementing a File System/]]
# Micro-Kernels and System Calls: The UNIX Daemon
# Other Types of Operating Systems
<span id="textbooks-and-resources"></span>
== Textbooks and Resources ==
Where possible, I have tried to use exclusively open source (or at least freely available) materials in this course. All of the required readings are freely available, and the two recommended books are available very cheaply.
<span id="required-materials"></span>
=== Required Materials ===
# [https://www.ostep.org ''Operating Systems in Three Easy Pieces (OSTEP)''] by Remzi H. Arpaci-Dusseau and Andrea C. Arpaci-Dusseau
# The [https://pdos.csail.mit.edu/6.1810/2025/xv6.html Xv6 RISC-V Operating System], [https://pdos.csail.mit.edu/6.1810/2025/xv6/book-riscv-rev5.pdf book], and [https://pdos.csail.mit.edu/6.1810/2025/xv6/xv6-src-booklet-rev5.pdf source booklet] from MIT
# [https://github.com/riscv/riscv-isa-manual ''The RISC-V Instruction Set Manual'' ](Volumes I and II)
# Various other articles, documents, and videos linked in the lessons.
<span id="recommended-materials"></span>
=== Recommended Materials ===
# ''The C Programming Language'' 2nd Edition by Brian W. Kernighan and Dennis M. Ritchie (Pearson 1988) ISB: 978-0-13-110362-7. (This book is especially important if you do not have much familiarity with C programming.)
# ''The RISC-V Reader: An Open Architecture Atlas'' by David Patterson and Andrew Waterman (Strawberry Canyon LLC. 2017) ISBN: 978-099924911-6. (This book is a more user friendly guide to the RISC-V architecture.)
[[Category:Operating systems]]
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Patriarch Ages Curious Numerical Facts Response
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CanonicalMormon
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/* The Grouping of Adam */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article provides compelling arguments, this analysis identifies areas where the underlying data and mathematical evidence are more robust than initially presented.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= 3\,\text{šar}\,\,30\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Lifespans==
* 960 years
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Mesopotamian Lifespans */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article provides compelling arguments, this analysis identifies areas where the underlying data and mathematical evidence are more robust than initially presented.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= 3\,\text{šar}\,\,30\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Lifespans==
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Mesopotamian Lifespans */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article provides compelling arguments, this analysis identifies areas where the underlying data and mathematical evidence are more robust than initially presented.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= 3\,\text{šar}\,\,30\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Lifespans==
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian King List]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel]]
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Mesopotamian Lifespans */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article provides compelling arguments, this analysis identifies areas where the underlying data and mathematical evidence are more robust than initially presented.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= 3\,\text{šar}\,\,30\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Lifespans==
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian King List]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]]
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article provides compelling arguments, this analysis identifies areas where the underlying data and mathematical evidence are more robust than initially presented.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= 3\,\text{šar}\,\,30\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Lifespans==
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian King List]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Mesopotamian Lifespans */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article provides compelling arguments, this analysis identifies areas where the underlying data and mathematical evidence are more robust than initially presented.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= 3\,\text{šar}\,\,30\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Lifespans==
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List# Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Mesopotamian Lifespans */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article provides compelling arguments, this analysis identifies areas where the underlying data and mathematical evidence are more robust than initially presented.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= 3\,\text{šar}\,\,30\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Lifespans==
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article provides compelling arguments, this analysis identifies areas where the underlying data and mathematical evidence are more robust than initially presented.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= 3\,\text{šar}\,\,30\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Lifespans==
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Mesopotamian Lifespans */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article provides compelling arguments, this analysis identifies areas where the underlying data and mathematical evidence are more robust than initially presented.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= 3\,\text{šar}\,\,30\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Lifespans==
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (5 Patriarchs)
*** Adam
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Mesopotamian Lifespans */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article provides compelling arguments, this analysis identifies areas where the underlying data and mathematical evidence are more robust than initially presented.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= 3\,\text{šar}\,\,30\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Lifespans==
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (5 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Mesopotamian Lifespans */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article provides compelling arguments, this analysis identifies areas where the underlying data and mathematical evidence are more robust than initially presented.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= 3\,\text{šar}\,\,30\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Lifespans==
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Mesopotamian Lifespans */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article provides compelling arguments, this analysis identifies areas where the underlying data and mathematical evidence are more robust than initially presented.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= 3\,\text{šar}\,\,30\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Lifespans==
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Mesopotamian Lifespans */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article provides compelling arguments, this analysis identifies areas where the underlying data and mathematical evidence are more robust than initially presented.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= 3\,\text{šar}\,\,30\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Lifespans==
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Mesopotamian Lifespans */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article provides compelling arguments, this analysis identifies areas where the underlying data and mathematical evidence are more robust than initially presented.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= 3\,\text{šar}\,\,30\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Lifespans==
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Mesopotamian Lifespans */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article provides compelling arguments, this analysis identifies areas where the underlying data and mathematical evidence are more robust than initially presented.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= 3\,\text{šar}\,\,30\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Lifespans==
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah,
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* The Grouping of Adam */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article provides compelling arguments, this analysis identifies areas where the underlying data and mathematical evidence are more robust than initially presented.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= 3\,\text{šar}\,\,30\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Lifespans==
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah,
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article provides compelling arguments, this analysis identifies areas where the underlying data and mathematical evidence are more robust than initially presented.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= 3\,\text{šar}\,\,30\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah,
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Mesopotamian Lifespans */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article provides compelling arguments, this analysis identifies areas where the underlying data and mathematical evidence are more robust than initially presented.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= 3\,\text{šar}\,\,30\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were added to biblical narratives during the time of the [w:Babylonian_captivity|Babylonian captivity] (c. 586–538 BCE). The captivity was a transformative "watershed" moment that fundamentally shaped the Hebrew Bible
's content, structure, and theology. It transitioned the ancient Israelite religion from a temple-centered cult into Judaism, a religion centered on sacred text that could survive anywhere.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Without a physical Temple to host sacrifices, the Judean elite focused on compiling and redacting oral and written traditions into a permanent, "portable" written Law to preserve their national identity. The following bullet points illustrate the extent to which '''Prototype 1''' lifespans were influenced by Mesopotamian literature such as the Sumerian King List.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah,
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article provides compelling arguments, this analysis identifies areas where the underlying data and mathematical evidence are more robust than initially presented.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= 3\,\text{šar}\,\,30\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were added to biblical narratives during the time of the [[w:Babylonian_captivity|Babylonian captivity]] (c. 586–538 BCE). The captivity was a transformative "watershed" moment that fundamentally shaped the Hebrew Bible
's content, structure, and theology. It transitioned the ancient Israelite religion from a temple-centered cult into Judaism, a religion centered on sacred text that could survive anywhere.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Without a physical Temple to host sacrifices, the Judean elite focused on compiling and redacting oral and written traditions into a permanent, "portable" written Law to preserve their national identity. The following bullet points illustrate the extent to which '''Prototype 1''' lifespans were influenced by Mesopotamian literature such as the Sumerian King List.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah,
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article provides compelling arguments, this analysis identifies areas where the underlying data and mathematical evidence are more robust than initially presented.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= 3\,\text{šar}\,\,30\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the Prototype 1 Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were integrated into biblical narratives during the Babylonian captivity (c. 586–538 BCE). As the captivity transitioned Israelite religion from a localized temple cult into a 'portable' Judaism centered on sacred text, Judean scribes likely adopted the prestigious base-60 mathematical system of their captors to codify a history that commanded respect in a Mesopotamian intellectual context.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Deprived of a physical Temple for sacrifice, the Judean elite focused on transforming oral and fragmented traditions into a permanent, 'portable' written Law. This process involved not just preservation, but an intellectual synchronization with Mesopotamian standards of antiquity. The following comparisons illustrate how Prototype 1 lifespans utilized the mathematical logic of the Sumerian King List to establish a prestigious, foundational chronology.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah
The precise alignment of these four distinct groupings suggests that the Prototype 1 Chronology was not merely inspired by Mesopotamian traditions, but was mathematically structured to mirror them."
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article offers compelling arguments, this analysis provides additional evidence and demonstrates that the underlying numerical data is even more robust and systematic than initially identified.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= 3\,\text{šar}\,\,30\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the Prototype 1 Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were integrated into biblical narratives during the Babylonian captivity (c. 586–538 BCE). As the captivity transitioned Israelite religion from a localized temple cult into a 'portable' Judaism centered on sacred text, Judean scribes likely adopted the prestigious base-60 mathematical system of their captors to codify a history that commanded respect in a Mesopotamian intellectual context.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Deprived of a physical Temple for sacrifice, the Judean elite focused on transforming oral and fragmented traditions into a permanent, 'portable' written Law. This process involved not just preservation, but an intellectual synchronization with Mesopotamian standards of antiquity. The following comparisons illustrate how Prototype 1 lifespans utilized the mathematical logic of the Sumerian King List to establish a prestigious, foundational chronology.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah
The precise alignment of these four distinct groupings suggests that the Prototype 1 Chronology was not merely inspired by Mesopotamian traditions, but was mathematically structured to mirror them."
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Arichat Yamim (Long Life) */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article offers compelling arguments, this analysis provides additional evidence and demonstrates that the underlying numerical data is even more robust and systematic than initially identified.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} = \frac{420\,\text{šūši}}{2} &= 210\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= 3\,\text{šar}\,\,30\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the Prototype 1 Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were integrated into biblical narratives during the Babylonian captivity (c. 586–538 BCE). As the captivity transitioned Israelite religion from a localized temple cult into a 'portable' Judaism centered on sacred text, Judean scribes likely adopted the prestigious base-60 mathematical system of their captors to codify a history that commanded respect in a Mesopotamian intellectual context.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Deprived of a physical Temple for sacrifice, the Judean elite focused on transforming oral and fragmented traditions into a permanent, 'portable' written Law. This process involved not just preservation, but an intellectual synchronization with Mesopotamian standards of antiquity. The following comparisons illustrate how Prototype 1 lifespans utilized the mathematical logic of the Sumerian King List to establish a prestigious, foundational chronology.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah
The precise alignment of these four distinct groupings suggests that the Prototype 1 Chronology was not merely inspired by Mesopotamian traditions, but was mathematically structured to mirror them."
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Arichat Yamim (Long Life) */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article offers compelling arguments, this analysis provides additional evidence and demonstrates that the underlying numerical data is even more robust and systematic than initially identified.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} = \frac{420\,\text{šūši}}{2} &= 210\,\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(210 \times 60 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= 3\,\text{šar}\,\,30\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(3 \times 60^2 \, \text{years} \right) + \left(30 \times 60^1 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 10,800 \, \text{years} + 1,800 \, \text{years} \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the Prototype 1 Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were integrated into biblical narratives during the Babylonian captivity (c. 586–538 BCE). As the captivity transitioned Israelite religion from a localized temple cult into a 'portable' Judaism centered on sacred text, Judean scribes likely adopted the prestigious base-60 mathematical system of their captors to codify a history that commanded respect in a Mesopotamian intellectual context.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Deprived of a physical Temple for sacrifice, the Judean elite focused on transforming oral and fragmented traditions into a permanent, 'portable' written Law. This process involved not just preservation, but an intellectual synchronization with Mesopotamian standards of antiquity. The following comparisons illustrate how Prototype 1 lifespans utilized the mathematical logic of the Sumerian King List to establish a prestigious, foundational chronology.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah
The precise alignment of these four distinct groupings suggests that the Prototype 1 Chronology was not merely inspired by Mesopotamian traditions, but was mathematically structured to mirror them."
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Arichat Yamim (Long Life) */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article offers compelling arguments, this analysis provides additional evidence and demonstrates that the underlying numerical data is even more robust and systematic than initially identified.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} = \frac{420\,\text{šūši}}{2} &= 210\,\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(210 \times 60 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the Prototype 1 Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were integrated into biblical narratives during the Babylonian captivity (c. 586–538 BCE). As the captivity transitioned Israelite religion from a localized temple cult into a 'portable' Judaism centered on sacred text, Judean scribes likely adopted the prestigious base-60 mathematical system of their captors to codify a history that commanded respect in a Mesopotamian intellectual context.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Deprived of a physical Temple for sacrifice, the Judean elite focused on transforming oral and fragmented traditions into a permanent, 'portable' written Law. This process involved not just preservation, but an intellectual synchronization with Mesopotamian standards of antiquity. The following comparisons illustrate how Prototype 1 lifespans utilized the mathematical logic of the Sumerian King List to establish a prestigious, foundational chronology.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah
The precise alignment of these four distinct groupings suggests that the Prototype 1 Chronology was not merely inspired by Mesopotamian traditions, but was mathematically structured to mirror them."
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Arichat Yamim (Long Life) */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article offers compelling arguments, this analysis provides additional evidence and demonstrates that the underlying numerical data is even more robust and systematic than initially identified.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= \frac{420\,\text{šūši}}{2} \\ &= 210\,\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(210 \times 60 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the Prototype 1 Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were integrated into biblical narratives during the Babylonian captivity (c. 586–538 BCE). As the captivity transitioned Israelite religion from a localized temple cult into a 'portable' Judaism centered on sacred text, Judean scribes likely adopted the prestigious base-60 mathematical system of their captors to codify a history that commanded respect in a Mesopotamian intellectual context.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Deprived of a physical Temple for sacrifice, the Judean elite focused on transforming oral and fragmented traditions into a permanent, 'portable' written Law. This process involved not just preservation, but an intellectual synchronization with Mesopotamian standards of antiquity. The following comparisons illustrate how Prototype 1 lifespans utilized the mathematical logic of the Sumerian King List to establish a prestigious, foundational chronology.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah
The precise alignment of these four distinct groupings suggests that the Prototype 1 Chronology was not merely inspired by Mesopotamian traditions, but was mathematically structured to mirror them."
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article offers compelling arguments, this analysis provides additional evidence and demonstrates that the underlying numerical data is even more robust and systematic than initially identified.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= \frac{420\,\text{šūši}}{2} \\ &= 210\,\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(210 \times 60 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the Prototype 1 Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were integrated into biblical narratives during the Babylonian captivity (c. 586–538 BCE). As the captivity transitioned Israelite religion from a localized temple cult into a 'portable' Judaism centered on sacred text, Judean scribes likely adopted the prestigious base-60 mathematical system of their captors to codify a history that commanded respect in a Mesopotamian intellectual context.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Deprived of a physical Temple for sacrifice, the Judean elite focused on transforming oral and fragmented traditions into a permanent, 'portable' written Law. This process involved not just preservation, but an intellectual synchronization with Mesopotamian standards of antiquity. The following comparisons illustrate how Prototype 1 lifespans utilized the mathematical logic of the Sumerian King List to establish a prestigious, foundational chronology.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah
The precise alignment of these four distinct groupings suggests that the Prototype 1 Chronology was not merely inspired by Mesopotamian traditions, but was mathematically structured to mirror them."
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article offers compelling arguments, this analysis provides additional evidence and demonstrates that the underlying numerical data is even more robust and systematic than initially identified.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= \frac{420\,\text{šūši}}{2} \\ &= 210\,\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(210 \times 60 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="width:100%; color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the Prototype 1 Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were integrated into biblical narratives during the Babylonian captivity (c. 586–538 BCE). As the captivity transitioned Israelite religion from a localized temple cult into a 'portable' Judaism centered on sacred text, Judean scribes likely adopted the prestigious base-60 mathematical system of their captors to codify a history that commanded respect in a Mesopotamian intellectual context.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Deprived of a physical Temple for sacrifice, the Judean elite focused on transforming oral and fragmented traditions into a permanent, 'portable' written Law. This process involved not just preservation, but an intellectual synchronization with Mesopotamian standards of antiquity. The following comparisons illustrate how Prototype 1 lifespans utilized the mathematical logic of the Sumerian King List to establish a prestigious, foundational chronology.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah
The precise alignment of these four distinct groupings suggests that the Prototype 1 Chronology was not merely inspired by Mesopotamian traditions, but was mathematically structured to mirror them."
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article offers compelling arguments, this analysis provides additional evidence and demonstrates that the underlying numerical data is even more robust and systematic than initially identified.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= \frac{420\,\text{šūši}}{2} \\ &= 210\,\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(210 \times 60 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="white-space: nowrap; width:100%; color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the Prototype 1 Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were integrated into biblical narratives during the Babylonian captivity (c. 586–538 BCE). As the captivity transitioned Israelite religion from a localized temple cult into a 'portable' Judaism centered on sacred text, Judean scribes likely adopted the prestigious base-60 mathematical system of their captors to codify a history that commanded respect in a Mesopotamian intellectual context.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Deprived of a physical Temple for sacrifice, the Judean elite focused on transforming oral and fragmented traditions into a permanent, 'portable' written Law. This process involved not just preservation, but an intellectual synchronization with Mesopotamian standards of antiquity. The following comparisons illustrate how Prototype 1 lifespans utilized the mathematical logic of the Sumerian King List to establish a prestigious, foundational chronology.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah
The precise alignment of these four distinct groupings suggests that the Prototype 1 Chronology was not merely inspired by Mesopotamian traditions, but was mathematically structured to mirror them."
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article offers compelling arguments, this analysis provides additional evidence and demonstrates that the underlying numerical data is even more robust and systematic than initially identified.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= \frac{420\,\text{šūši}}{2} \\ &= 210\,\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(210 \times 60 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="padding: 0px; white-space: nowrap; width:100%; color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the Prototype 1 Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were integrated into biblical narratives during the Babylonian captivity (c. 586–538 BCE). As the captivity transitioned Israelite religion from a localized temple cult into a 'portable' Judaism centered on sacred text, Judean scribes likely adopted the prestigious base-60 mathematical system of their captors to codify a history that commanded respect in a Mesopotamian intellectual context.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Deprived of a physical Temple for sacrifice, the Judean elite focused on transforming oral and fragmented traditions into a permanent, 'portable' written Law. This process involved not just preservation, but an intellectual synchronization with Mesopotamian standards of antiquity. The following comparisons illustrate how Prototype 1 lifespans utilized the mathematical logic of the Sumerian King List to establish a prestigious, foundational chronology.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah
The precise alignment of these four distinct groupings suggests that the Prototype 1 Chronology was not merely inspired by Mesopotamian traditions, but was mathematically structured to mirror them."
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article offers compelling arguments, this analysis provides additional evidence and demonstrates that the underlying numerical data is even more robust and systematic than initially identified.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= \frac{420\,\text{šūši}}{2} \\ &= 210\,\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(210 \times 60 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="font-size: 85%; width:100%; color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the Prototype 1 Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were integrated into biblical narratives during the Babylonian captivity (c. 586–538 BCE). As the captivity transitioned Israelite religion from a localized temple cult into a 'portable' Judaism centered on sacred text, Judean scribes likely adopted the prestigious base-60 mathematical system of their captors to codify a history that commanded respect in a Mesopotamian intellectual context.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Deprived of a physical Temple for sacrifice, the Judean elite focused on transforming oral and fragmented traditions into a permanent, 'portable' written Law. This process involved not just preservation, but an intellectual synchronization with Mesopotamian standards of antiquity. The following comparisons illustrate how Prototype 1 lifespans utilized the mathematical logic of the Sumerian King List to establish a prestigious, foundational chronology.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah
The precise alignment of these four distinct groupings suggests that the Prototype 1 Chronology was not merely inspired by Mesopotamian traditions, but was mathematically structured to mirror them."
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article offers compelling arguments, this analysis provides additional evidence and demonstrates that the underlying numerical data is even more robust and systematic than initially identified.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= \frac{420\,\text{šūši}}{2} \\ &= 210\,\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(210 \times 60 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="width:100%; color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>,<small>(4920)</small></div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/>(2700)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the Prototype 1 Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were integrated into biblical narratives during the Babylonian captivity (c. 586–538 BCE). As the captivity transitioned Israelite religion from a localized temple cult into a 'portable' Judaism centered on sacred text, Judean scribes likely adopted the prestigious base-60 mathematical system of their captors to codify a history that commanded respect in a Mesopotamian intellectual context.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Deprived of a physical Temple for sacrifice, the Judean elite focused on transforming oral and fragmented traditions into a permanent, 'portable' written Law. This process involved not just preservation, but an intellectual synchronization with Mesopotamian standards of antiquity. The following comparisons illustrate how Prototype 1 lifespans utilized the mathematical logic of the Sumerian King List to establish a prestigious, foundational chronology.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah
The precise alignment of these four distinct groupings suggests that the Prototype 1 Chronology was not merely inspired by Mesopotamian traditions, but was mathematically structured to mirror them."
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article offers compelling arguments, this analysis provides additional evidence and demonstrates that the underlying numerical data is even more robust and systematic than initially identified.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= \frac{420\,\text{šūši}}{2} \\ &= 210\,\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(210 \times 60 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="width:100%; color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/><small>(4920)</small></div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/><small>(2700)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the Prototype 1 Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were integrated into biblical narratives during the Babylonian captivity (c. 586–538 BCE). As the captivity transitioned Israelite religion from a localized temple cult into a 'portable' Judaism centered on sacred text, Judean scribes likely adopted the prestigious base-60 mathematical system of their captors to codify a history that commanded respect in a Mesopotamian intellectual context.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Deprived of a physical Temple for sacrifice, the Judean elite focused on transforming oral and fragmented traditions into a permanent, 'portable' written Law. This process involved not just preservation, but an intellectual synchronization with Mesopotamian standards of antiquity. The following comparisons illustrate how Prototype 1 lifespans utilized the mathematical logic of the Sumerian King List to establish a prestigious, foundational chronology.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah
The precise alignment of these four distinct groupings suggests that the Prototype 1 Chronology was not merely inspired by Mesopotamian traditions, but was mathematically structured to mirror them."
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article offers compelling arguments, this analysis provides additional evidence and demonstrates that the underlying numerical data is even more robust and systematic than initially identified.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= \frac{420\,\text{šūši}}{2} \\ &= 210\,\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(210 \times 60 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="width:100%; color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 1</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|82 šūši}}<br/><small>(4920)</small></div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/><small>(2700)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 3</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">Group 2</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the Prototype 1 Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were integrated into biblical narratives during the Babylonian captivity (c. 586–538 BCE). As the captivity transitioned Israelite religion from a localized temple cult into a 'portable' Judaism centered on sacred text, Judean scribes likely adopted the prestigious base-60 mathematical system of their captors to codify a history that commanded respect in a Mesopotamian intellectual context.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Deprived of a physical Temple for sacrifice, the Judean elite focused on transforming oral and fragmented traditions into a permanent, 'portable' written Law. This process involved not just preservation, but an intellectual synchronization with Mesopotamian standards of antiquity. The following comparisons illustrate how Prototype 1 lifespans utilized the mathematical logic of the Sumerian King List to establish a prestigious, foundational chronology.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah
The precise alignment of these four distinct groupings suggests that the Prototype 1 Chronology was not merely inspired by Mesopotamian traditions, but was mathematically structured to mirror them."
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article offers compelling arguments, this analysis provides additional evidence and demonstrates that the underlying numerical data is even more robust and systematic than initially identified.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= \frac{420\,\text{šūši}}{2} \\ &= 210\,\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(210 \times 60 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="width:100%; color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 1}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|82 šūši}}<br/><small>(4920)</small></div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">45 šūši<br/><small>(2700)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">37 šūši<br/>(2220)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 (900)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 (360)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 3}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 2}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the Prototype 1 Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were integrated into biblical narratives during the Babylonian captivity (c. 586–538 BCE). As the captivity transitioned Israelite religion from a localized temple cult into a 'portable' Judaism centered on sacred text, Judean scribes likely adopted the prestigious base-60 mathematical system of their captors to codify a history that commanded respect in a Mesopotamian intellectual context.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Deprived of a physical Temple for sacrifice, the Judean elite focused on transforming oral and fragmented traditions into a permanent, 'portable' written Law. This process involved not just preservation, but an intellectual synchronization with Mesopotamian standards of antiquity. The following comparisons illustrate how Prototype 1 lifespans utilized the mathematical logic of the Sumerian King List to establish a prestigious, foundational chronology.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah
The precise alignment of these four distinct groupings suggests that the Prototype 1 Chronology was not merely inspired by Mesopotamian traditions, but was mathematically structured to mirror them."
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article offers compelling arguments, this analysis provides additional evidence and demonstrates that the underlying numerical data is even more robust and systematic than initially identified.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= \frac{420\,\text{šūši}}{2} \\ &= 210\,\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(210 \times 60 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="width:100%; color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 1}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|82 šūši}}<br/><small>(4920)</small></div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|45 šūši}}<br/><small>(2700)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|37 šūši}}<br/><small>(2220)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 <small>(960)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 <small>(360)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 3}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">46 šūši<br/>(2760)</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">32 šūši<br/>(1920)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 (960)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 2}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the Prototype 1 Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were integrated into biblical narratives during the Babylonian captivity (c. 586–538 BCE). As the captivity transitioned Israelite religion from a localized temple cult into a 'portable' Judaism centered on sacred text, Judean scribes likely adopted the prestigious base-60 mathematical system of their captors to codify a history that commanded respect in a Mesopotamian intellectual context.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Deprived of a physical Temple for sacrifice, the Judean elite focused on transforming oral and fragmented traditions into a permanent, 'portable' written Law. This process involved not just preservation, but an intellectual synchronization with Mesopotamian standards of antiquity. The following comparisons illustrate how Prototype 1 lifespans utilized the mathematical logic of the Sumerian King List to establish a prestigious, foundational chronology.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah
The precise alignment of these four distinct groupings suggests that the Prototype 1 Chronology was not merely inspired by Mesopotamian traditions, but was mathematically structured to mirror them."
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article offers compelling arguments, this analysis provides additional evidence and demonstrates that the underlying numerical data is even more robust and systematic than initially identified.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= \frac{420\,\text{šūši}}{2} \\ &= 210\,\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(210 \times 60 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="width:100%; color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 1}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|82 šūši}}<br/><small>(4920)</small></div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|45 šūši}}<br/><small>(2700)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|37 šūši}}<br/><small>(2220)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 <small>(960)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 <small>(360)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 3}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|46 šūši}}<br/><small>(2760)</small></div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|32 šūši}}<br/><small>(1920)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 <small>(960)</small>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 <small>(960)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 (840)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 <small>(840)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 2}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the Prototype 1 Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were integrated into biblical narratives during the Babylonian captivity (c. 586–538 BCE). As the captivity transitioned Israelite religion from a localized temple cult into a 'portable' Judaism centered on sacred text, Judean scribes likely adopted the prestigious base-60 mathematical system of their captors to codify a history that commanded respect in a Mesopotamian intellectual context.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Deprived of a physical Temple for sacrifice, the Judean elite focused on transforming oral and fragmented traditions into a permanent, 'portable' written Law. This process involved not just preservation, but an intellectual synchronization with Mesopotamian standards of antiquity. The following comparisons illustrate how Prototype 1 lifespans utilized the mathematical logic of the Sumerian King List to establish a prestigious, foundational chronology.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah
The precise alignment of these four distinct groupings suggests that the Prototype 1 Chronology was not merely inspired by Mesopotamian traditions, but was mathematically structured to mirror them."
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article offers compelling arguments, this analysis provides additional evidence and demonstrates that the underlying numerical data is even more robust and systematic than initially identified.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= \frac{420\,\text{šūši}}{2} \\ &= 210\,\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(210 \times 60 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="width:100%; color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 1}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|82 šūši}}<br/><small>(4920)</small></div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|45 šūši}}<br/><small>(2700)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|37 šūši}}<br/><small>(2220)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 <small>(960)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 <small>(360)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 3}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|46 šūši}}<br/><small>(2760)</small></div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|32 šūši}}<br/><small>(1920)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 <small>(960)</small>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 <small>(960)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 <small>(840)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 <small>(840)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 2}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">82 šūši<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">40 šūši<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">25 šūši<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">17 šūši<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the Prototype 1 Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were integrated into biblical narratives during the Babylonian captivity (c. 586–538 BCE). As the captivity transitioned Israelite religion from a localized temple cult into a 'portable' Judaism centered on sacred text, Judean scribes likely adopted the prestigious base-60 mathematical system of their captors to codify a history that commanded respect in a Mesopotamian intellectual context.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Deprived of a physical Temple for sacrifice, the Judean elite focused on transforming oral and fragmented traditions into a permanent, 'portable' written Law. This process involved not just preservation, but an intellectual synchronization with Mesopotamian standards of antiquity. The following comparisons illustrate how Prototype 1 lifespans utilized the mathematical logic of the Sumerian King List to establish a prestigious, foundational chronology.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah
The precise alignment of these four distinct groupings suggests that the Prototype 1 Chronology was not merely inspired by Mesopotamian traditions, but was mathematically structured to mirror them."
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article offers compelling arguments, this analysis provides additional evidence and demonstrates that the underlying numerical data is even more robust and systematic than initially identified.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= \frac{420\,\text{šūši}}{2} \\ &= 210\,\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(210 \times 60 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="width:100%; color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 1}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|82 šūši}}<br/><small>(4920)</small></div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|45 šūši}}<br/><small>(2700)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|37 šūši}}<br/><small>(2220)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 <small>(960)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 <small>(360)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 3}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|46 šūši}}<br/><small>(2760)</small></div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|32 šūši}}<br/><small>(1920)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 <small>(960)</small>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 <small>(960)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 <small>(840)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 <small>(840)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 2}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|82 šūši}}<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|40 šūši}}<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|25 šūši}}<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 (480)
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 (240)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|17 šūši}}<br/>(1020)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 (180)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 (120)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 <small>(120)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 <small>(120)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 <small>(120)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the Prototype 1 Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were integrated into biblical narratives during the Babylonian captivity (c. 586–538 BCE). As the captivity transitioned Israelite religion from a localized temple cult into a 'portable' Judaism centered on sacred text, Judean scribes likely adopted the prestigious base-60 mathematical system of their captors to codify a history that commanded respect in a Mesopotamian intellectual context.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Deprived of a physical Temple for sacrifice, the Judean elite focused on transforming oral and fragmented traditions into a permanent, 'portable' written Law. This process involved not just preservation, but an intellectual synchronization with Mesopotamian standards of antiquity. The following comparisons illustrate how Prototype 1 lifespans utilized the mathematical logic of the Sumerian King List to establish a prestigious, foundational chronology.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah
The precise alignment of these four distinct groupings suggests that the Prototype 1 Chronology was not merely inspired by Mesopotamian traditions, but was mathematically structured to mirror them."
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article offers compelling arguments, this analysis provides additional evidence and demonstrates that the underlying numerical data is even more robust and systematic than initially identified.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= \frac{420\,\text{šūši}}{2} \\ &= 210\,\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(210 \times 60 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="width:100%; color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 1}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|82 šūši}}<br/><small>(4920)</small></div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|45 šūši}}<br/><small>(2700)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|37 šūši}}<br/><small>(2220)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 <small>(960)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 <small>(360)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 3}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|46 šūši}}<br/><small>(2760)</small></div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|32 šūši}}<br/><small>(1920)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 <small>(960)</small>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 <small>(960)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 <small>(840)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 <small>(840)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 2}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|82 šūši}}<br/>(4920)</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|40 šūši}}<br/>(2400)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 (960)
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 (600)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 (420)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|25 šūši}}<br/>(1500)</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 <small>(480)</small>
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 <small>(240)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 <small>(240)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 <small>(180)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 <small>(180)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 <small>(180)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|17 šūši}}<br/><small>(1020)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 <small>(180)</small>
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 <small>(180)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 <small>(180)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 <small>(120)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 <small>(120)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 <small>(120)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 <small>(120)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the Prototype 1 Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were integrated into biblical narratives during the Babylonian captivity (c. 586–538 BCE). As the captivity transitioned Israelite religion from a localized temple cult into a 'portable' Judaism centered on sacred text, Judean scribes likely adopted the prestigious base-60 mathematical system of their captors to codify a history that commanded respect in a Mesopotamian intellectual context.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Deprived of a physical Temple for sacrifice, the Judean elite focused on transforming oral and fragmented traditions into a permanent, 'portable' written Law. This process involved not just preservation, but an intellectual synchronization with Mesopotamian standards of antiquity. The following comparisons illustrate how Prototype 1 lifespans utilized the mathematical logic of the Sumerian King List to establish a prestigious, foundational chronology.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah
The precise alignment of these four distinct groupings suggests that the Prototype 1 Chronology was not merely inspired by Mesopotamian traditions, but was mathematically structured to mirror them."
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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/* Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation */
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article offers compelling arguments, this analysis provides additional evidence and demonstrates that the underlying numerical data is even more robust and systematic than initially identified.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= \frac{420\,\text{šūši}}{2} \\ &= 210\,\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(210 \times 60 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="width:100%; color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 1}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|82 šūši}}<br/><small>(4920)</small></div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|45 šūši}}<br/><small>(2700)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|37 šūši}}<br/><small>(2220)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 <small>(960)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 <small>(360)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 3}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|46 šūši}}<br/><small>(2760)</small></div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|32 šūši}}<br/><small>(1920)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 <small>(960)</small>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 <small>(960)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 <small>(840)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 <small>(840)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 2}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|82 šūši}}<br/><small>(4920)</small></div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|40 šūši}}<br/><small>(2400)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 <small>(960)</small>
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 <small>(600)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 <small>(420)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 <small>(420)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|25 šūši}}<br/><small>(1500)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 <small>(480)</small>
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 <small>(240)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 <small>(240)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 <small>(180)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 <small>(180)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 <small>(180)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|17 šūši}}<br/><small>(1020)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 <small>(180)</small>
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 <small>(180)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 <small>(180)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 <small>(120)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 <small>(120)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 <small>(120)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 <small>(120)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/>(12,600 years)
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the Prototype 1 Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were integrated into biblical narratives during the Babylonian captivity (c. 586–538 BCE). As the captivity transitioned Israelite religion from a localized temple cult into a 'portable' Judaism centered on sacred text, Judean scribes likely adopted the prestigious base-60 mathematical system of their captors to codify a history that commanded respect in a Mesopotamian intellectual context.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Deprived of a physical Temple for sacrifice, the Judean elite focused on transforming oral and fragmented traditions into a permanent, 'portable' written Law. This process involved not just preservation, but an intellectual synchronization with Mesopotamian standards of antiquity. The following comparisons illustrate how Prototype 1 lifespans utilized the mathematical logic of the Sumerian King List to establish a prestigious, foundational chronology.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah
The precise alignment of these four distinct groupings suggests that the Prototype 1 Chronology was not merely inspired by Mesopotamian traditions, but was mathematically structured to mirror them."
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
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{{Original research}}
This page extends the mathematical insights presented in the 2017 article, [https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ ''Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs''] by Paul D. While the original article offers compelling arguments, this analysis provides additional evidence and demonstrates that the underlying numerical data is even more robust and systematic than initially identified.
== Summary of Main Arguments ==
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis are not historical records, but are a symbolic mathematical structure. Key points include:
* '''Artificial Mathematical Design:''' Patriarchal lifespans and event years are based on symbolic or "perfect" numbers (such as 7, 49, and 60) rather than biological or historical reality.
* '''The Universal Flood as a Later Insertion:''' Evidence suggests the universal scope of Noah's Flood was a later addition to a patriarchal foundation story. This insertion disrupted the original timelines, forcing recalibrations in the Masoretic Text (MT), Samaritan Pentateuch (SP), and Septuagint (LXX) to avoid chronological contradictions.
* '''Chronological Overlaps:''' In the original numerical framework (prior to recalibration for a universal flood), four patriarchs survived beyond the date of the Flood.
* '''Alignment with Sacred Cycles:''' The chronologies are designed to align significant events—such as the Exodus and the dedication of Solomon’s Temple—with specific "years of the world" (''Anno Mundi''), synchronizing human history with a divine calendar.
= ''Arichat Yamim'' (Long Life) =
Most of the patriarchs' lifespans in the Hebrew Bible exceed typical human demographics, and many appear to be based on rounded multiples of 101 years. For example, the combined lifespans of Seth, Enosh, and Kenan total '''2,727 years''' (27 × 101). Likewise, the sum for Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch is '''2,222 years''' (22 × 101), and for Methuselah and Noah, it is '''1,919 years''' (19 × 101).
This phenomenon is difficult to explain, as no known ancient number system features "101" as a significant unit. However, a possible explanation emerges if we assume the original chronographer arrived at these figures through a two-stage process: an initial prototype relying on Mesopotamian sexagesimal numbers, followed by a refined prototype rounded to the nearest Jubilee cycle.
In his 1989 London Bible College thesis, ''The Genealogies of Genesis: A Study of Their Structure and Function'', Richard I. Johnson argues that the cumulative lifespans of the patriarchs from Adam to Moses derive from a "perfect" Mesopotamian value: seven ''šar'' (7 × 3,600) or 420 ''šūši'' (420 × 60), divided by two. Using the sexagesimal (base-60) system, the calculation is structured as follows:
*:<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
\frac{7\,\text{šar}}{2} &= \frac{420\,\text{šūši}}{2} \\ &= 210\,\,\text{šūši} \\
&= \left(210 \times 60 \,\text{years} \right) \\
&= 12,600 \, \text{years}
\end{aligned}
</math>
This 12,600-year total was partitioned into three allotments, each based on a 100-Jubilee cycle (4,900 years) but rounded to the nearest Mesopotamian ''šūši'' (multiples of 60).
==== Prototype 1: Initial "Mesopotamian" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #f0f4f7; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #009688;">
The initial "PT1" framework partitioned the 12,600-year total into three allotments based on 100-Jubilee cycles (rounded to the nearest ''šūši''):
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Six patriarchs allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''. This approximates 100 Jubilees (82 × 60 ≈ 100 × 49).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' These 17 patriarchs were also allotted a combined sum of '''82 ''šūši'' (4,920 years)'''.
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah were allotted the remaining '''46 ''šūši'' (2,760 years)''' (12,600 − 4,920 − 4,920).
</div>
----
==== Prototype 2: Refined "Jubilee" Allocation ====
----
<div style="background-color: #fdf7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 5px solid #9c27b0;">
Because the rounded Mesopotamian sums in Prototype 1 were not exact Jubilee multiples, the framework was refined by shifting 29 years from the "Remainder" to each of the two primary groups. This resulted in the "PT2" figures as follows:
* '''Group 1 (Seth to Enoch):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 2 (Adam, plus Shem to Moses):''' Increased to '''4,949 years''' (101 × 49-year Jubilees).
* '''Group 3 (The Remainder):''' Decreased by 58 years to '''2,702 years''' (12,600 − 4,949 − 4,949).
</div>
----
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="width:100%; color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that result in a patriarch surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Prototype Chronologies (Age at death)
|-
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e0f2f1; border-bottom:2px solid #009688;" | PROTOTYPE 1<br/>(PT1)
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PROTOTYPE 2<br/>(PT2)
|-
| rowspan="6" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 1}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|82 šūši}}<br/><small>(4920)</small></div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|45 šūši}}<br/><small>(2700)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2727</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|37 šūši}}<br/><small>(2220)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 15 <small>(900)</small>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2222</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 <small>(960)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 6 <small>(360)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| rowspan="3" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 3}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|46 šūši}}<br/><small>(2760)</small></div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|32 šūši}}<br/><small>(1920)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 <small>(960)</small>
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2702</div>
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1919</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 16 <small>(960)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 14 <small>(840)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 14 <small>(840)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783
|-
| rowspan="18" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|Group 2}}</div>
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|82 šūši}}<br/><small>(4920)</small></div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|40 šūši}}<br/><small>(2400)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 16 <small>(960)</small>
| rowspan="18" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">4949</div>
| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">2401</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 10 <small>(600)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 <small>(420)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 7 <small>(420)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|25 šūši}}<br/><small>(1500)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 8 <small>(480)</small>
| rowspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1525</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 <small>(240)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 4 <small>(240)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 <small>(180)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 <small>(180)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 <small>(180)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">{{nowrap|17 šūši}}<br/><small>(1020)</small></div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 <small>(180)</small>
| rowspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | <div style="display:inline-block; transform:rotate(270deg);">1023</div>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 <small>(180)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 3 <small>(180)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 <small>(120)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 <small>(120)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 <small>(120)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 2 <small>(120)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="6" | 210 šūši<br/><small>(12,600 years)</small>
|}
==Mesopotamian Derived Lifespans==
The use of Mesopotamian (sexagesimal) numbers in the Prototype 1 Chronology provides strong evidence that these lifespans were integrated into biblical narratives during the Babylonian captivity (c. 586–538 BCE). As the captivity transitioned Israelite religion from a localized temple cult into a 'portable' Judaism centered on sacred text, Judean scribes likely adopted the prestigious base-60 mathematical system of their captors to codify a history that commanded respect in a Mesopotamian intellectual context.
Most scholars believe the Pentateuch (Torah) reached its final form during or shortly after the exile. Deprived of a physical Temple for sacrifice, the Judean elite focused on transforming oral and fragmented traditions into a permanent, 'portable' written Law. This process involved not just preservation, but an intellectual synchronization with Mesopotamian standards of antiquity. The following comparisons illustrate how Prototype 1 lifespans utilized the mathematical logic of the Sumerian King List to establish a prestigious, foundational chronology.
The following bullet point list is organized by time duration, beginning with the longest lifespans found in the '''Prototype 1''' Chronology. Lifespan length groupings are paired with kingship duration to show comparable figures.
* '''16 ''šūši'' (960 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:Kullassina-bel|Kullassina-bel]], [[w:Kalibum|Kalibum]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Adam, Jared, Methuselah, Noah
* '''15 ''šūši'' (900 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Four Kings)]]
*** [[w:Zuqaqip|Zuqaqip]], [[w:Melem-Kish|Melem-Kish]], [[w:Ilku|Ilku]], [[w:Enmebaragesi|Enmebaragesi]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (4 Patriarchs)
*** Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel
* '''10 ''šūši'' (600 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (One King)]]
*** [[w:Atab|Atab]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (1 Patriarch)
*** Shem
* '''7 ''šūši'' (420 years)'''
** [[w:Sumerian_King_List#Rulers_in_the_Sumerian_King_List|Sumerian King List (Two Kings)]]
*** [[w:En-tarah-ana|En-tarah-ana]], [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]]
** '''Prototype 1''' Chronology (2 Patriarchs)
*** Arpachshad, Shelah
The precise alignment of these four distinct groupings suggests that the Prototype 1 Chronology was not merely inspired by Mesopotamian traditions, but was mathematically structured to mirror them."
==The Grouping of Adam==
The placement of Adam in Group 2 for lifespan allotments is surprising given his role as the first human male in the Genesis narrative. Interestingly, Mesopotamian mythology faces a similar ambiguity regarding the figure Adapa. In [[w:Apkallu#Uanna_(Oannes)_or_Adapa?|some inscriptions (click here)]], Adapa is linked to the first pre-flood king, Ayalu (often identified as [[w:Alulim|Alulim]]). In [[w:Adapa#Other_myths|other myths (click here)]], Adapa is associated with the post-flood king, [[w:Enmerkar|Enmerkar]].
In the [[w:Apkallu#Uruk_List_of_Kings_and_Sages|"Uruk List of Kings and Sages"]] (165 BC), discovered in 1959/60 in the Seleucid-era temple of Anu in Bīt Rēš, the text documents a clear succession of divine and human wisdom. It consists of a list of seven antediluvian kings and their associated semi-divine sages (apkallū), followed by a note on the 'Deluge' (see [[w:Gilgamesh_flood_myth|Gilgamesh flood myth]]). After this break, the list continues with eight more king-sage pairs representing the post-flood era, where the "sages" eventually transition into human scholars.
A tentative translation reads:
*During the reign of [[w:Alulim|'''Ayalu''', the king, '''Adapa''' was sage]].
*During the reign of [[w:Alalngar|'''Alalgar''', the king, '''Uanduga''' was sage]].
*During the reign of '''Ameluana''', the king, '''Enmeduga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Amegalana''', the king, '''Enmegalama''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeusumgalana''', the king, '''Enmebuluga''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Dumuzi''', the shepherd, the king, '''Anenlilda''' was sage.
*During the reign of '''Enmeduranki''', the king, '''Utuabzu''' was sage.
*After the flood, during the reign of '''Enmerkar''', the king, '''Nungalpirigal''' was sage . . .
*During the reign of '''Gilgamesh''', the king, '''Sin-leqi-unnini''' was scholar.
. . .
This list illustrates the traditional sequence of sages that parallels the biblical patriarchs, leading to several specific similarities in their roles and narratives.
==== Mesopotamian Similarities ====
*[[w:Adapa#As_Adam|Adam as Adapa]]: Possible parallels include the similarity in names (potentially sharing the same linguistic root) and thematic overlaps. Both accounts feature a trial involving the consumption of purportedly deadly food, and both figures are summoned before a deity to answer for their transgressions.
*[[w:En-men-dur-ana#Myth|Enoch as Enmeduranki]]: Enoch appears in the biblical chronology as the seventh pre-flood patriarch, while Enmeduranki is listed as the seventh pre-flood king in the Sumerian King List. The Hebrew [[w:Book of Enoch|Book of Enoch]] describes Enoch’s divine revelations and heavenly travels. Similarly, the Akkadian text ''Pirišti Šamê u Erṣeti'' (Secrets of Heaven and Earth) recounts Enmeduranki being taken to heaven by the gods Shamash and Adad to be taught the secrets of the cosmos.
*[[w:Utnapishtim|Noah as Utnapishtim]]: Similar to Noah, Utnapishtim is warned by a deity (Enki) of an impending flood and tasked with abandoning his possessions to build a massive vessel, the Preserver of Life. Both narratives emphasize the preservation of the protagonist's family, various animals, and seeds to repopulate the world after the deluge.
==== Conclusion ====
The dual association of Adapa—as both the first antediluvian sage and a figure linked to the post-flood king Enmerkar—provides a compelling mythological parallel to the numerical "surprise" of Adam’s grouping. Just as Adapa bridges the divide between the primordial era and the post-flood world, Adam’s placement in Group 2 suggests a similar thematic ambiguity. This pattern is further reinforced by the figure of Enoch, whose role as the seventh patriarch mirrors Enmeduranki, the seventh king; both serve as pivotal links between humanity and the divine realm. Together, these overlaps imply that the biblical lifespan allotments were influenced by ancient conventions that viewed the progression of kingship and wisdom as a fluid, structured tradition rather than a strictly linear history.
==The Universal Flood==
In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, four pre-flood patriarchs—[[w:Jared (biblical figure)|Jared]], [[w:Methuselah|Methuselah]], [[w:Lamech (Genesis)|Lamech]], and [[w:Noah|Noah]]—are attributed with exceptionally long lifespans, and late enough in the chronology that their lives overlap with the Deluge. This creates a significant anomaly where these figures survive the [[w:Genesis flood narrative|Universal Flood]], despite not being named among those saved on the Ark in the biblical narrative.
It is possible that the survival of these patriarchs was initially not a theological problem. For example, in the eleventh tablet of the ''[[w:Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', the hero [[w:Utnapishtim|Utnapishtim]] is instructed to preserve civilization by loading his vessel not only with kin, but with "all the craftsmen."
Given the evident Mesopotamian influences on early biblical narratives, it is possible that the original author of the biblical chronology may have operated within a similar conceptual framework—one in which Noah preserved certain forefathers alongside his immediate family, thereby bypassing the necessity of their death prior to the deluge. Alternatively, the author may have envisioned the flood as a localized event rather than a universal cataclysm, which would not have required the total destruction of human life outside the Ark.
Whatever the intentions of the original author, later chronographers were clearly concerned with the universality of the Flood. Consequently, chronological "corrections" were implemented to ensure the deaths of these patriarchs prior to the deluge. The lifespans of the problematic patriarchs are detailed in the table below. Each entry includes the total lifespan with the corresponding birth and death years (Anno Mundi, or years after creation) provided in parentheses.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Bible Chronologies: Lifespan (Birth year) (Death year)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| 847 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 962 <br/><small>(460)<br/>(1422)</small>
| colspan="4" | 962 <br/><small>(960)<br/>(1922)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 969 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1556)</small>
| 720 <br/> <small>(587)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 969 <br/> <small>(687)<br/>(1656)</small>
| colspan="5" | 969 <br/><small>(1287)<br/>(2256)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 783 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1437)</small>
| 653 <br/> <small>(654)<br/>(1307)</small>
| 777 <br/> <small>(874)<br/>(1651)</small>
| colspan = "3" | Varied <br/> <small>(1454 / 1474)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(707)<br/>(1657)</small>
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(1056)<br/>(2006)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 950 <br/> <small>(Varied)<br/>(Varied)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | The Flood
| colspan="2" | <small>(1307)</small>
| <small>(1656)</small>
| colspan="3" |<small>(Varied)</small>
|}
=== Samaritan Adjustments ===
As shown in the table above, the '''Samaritan Pentateuch''' (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech while leaving their birth years unchanged (460 AM, 587 AM, and 654 AM respectively). This adjustment ensures that all three patriarchs die precisely in the year of the Flood (1307 AM), leaving Noah as the sole survivor.
While this mathematically resolves the overlap, the solution is less than ideal from a theological perspective; it suggests that these presumably righteous forefathers were swept away in the same judgment as the wicked generation, perishing in the same year as the Deluge.
=== Masoretic Adjustments ===
The '''Masoretic Text''' (MT) maintains the original lifespan and birth year for Jared, but implements specific shifts for his successors. It moves Methuselah's birth and death years forward by exactly '''one hundred years'''; he is born in year 687 AM (rather than 587 AM) and dies in year 1656 AM (rather than 1556 AM).
Lamech's birth year is moved forward by '''two hundred and twenty years''', and his lifespan is reduced by six years, resulting in a birth in year 874 AM (as opposed to 654 AM) and a death in year 1651 AM (as opposed to 1437 AM). Finally, Noah's birth year and the year of the flood are moved forward by '''three hundred and forty-nine years''', while his original lifespan remains unchanged.
These adjustments shift the timeline of the Flood forward sufficiently so that Methuselah's death occurs in the year of the Flood and Lamech's death occurs five years prior, effectively resolving the overlap. However, this solution is less than ideal because it creates significant irregularities in the ages of the fathers at the birth of their successors (see table below). In particular, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech are respectively '''162''', '''187''', and '''182''' years old at the births of their successors—ages that are notably higher than those of the adjacent patriarchs.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" | 67
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="3" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" | 53
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|}
=== Septuagint Adjustments ===
In his article ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', the author Paul D makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint (LXX):
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter.”</blockquote>
The Septuagint solution avoids the Samaritan issue where multiple righteous forefathers were swept away in the same year as the wicked. It also avoids the Masoretic issue of having disparate fathering ages.
However, the Septuagint solution of adding hundreds of years to the chronology subverts mathematical motifs upon which the chronology was originally built. In particular, Abraham fathering Isaac at the age of 100 is presented as a miraculous event within the post-flood Abraham narrative; yet, having a long line of ancestors who begat sons when well over a hundred significantly dilutes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth.
=== Flood Adjustment Summary ===
In summary, there was no ideal methodology for accommodating a universal flood within the various textual traditions.
* In the '''Prototype 2''' chronology, multiple ancestors survive the flood alongside Noah. This dilutes Noah's status as the sole surviving patriarch, which in turn weakens the legitimacy of the [[w:Covenant_(biblical)#Noahic|Noahic covenant]]—a covenant predicated on the premise that God had destroyed all humanity in a universal reset.
* The '''Samaritan''' solution was less than ideal because Noah's presumably righteous ancestors perish in the same year as the wicked, which appears to undermine the discernment of God's judgments.
* The '''Masoretic''' and '''Septuagint''' solutions, by adding hundreds of years to begettal ages, normalize what is intended to be the miraculous birth of Isaac when Abraham was an hundred years old.
== Additional Textual Evidence ==
Because no single surviving manuscript preserves the original PT2 in its entirety, it must be reconstructed using internal textual evidence. As described previously, a primary anchor for this reconstruction is the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Seth-to-Enoch group (Group 1), which is preserved across nearly all biblical records. Also, where traditions diverge from this sum, they do so in predictable patterns that reveal the editorial intent of later redactors, as shown in the following tables (While most values are obtained directly from the primary source texts listed in the header, the '''Armenian Eusebius''' chronology does not explicitly record lifespans for Levi, Kohath, and Amram. These specific values are assumed to be shared across other known ''Long Chronology'' traditions.)
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Group ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Patriarch Group Lifespan Duration Sum)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Patriarch Groups
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic<br/>(MT)
! style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan<br/>(SP)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus<br/>(94 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius<br/>(325 AD)
! style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint<br/>(LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 1: Seth to Enoch<br/><small>(6 Patriarchs)</small>
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 3: Methuselah, Lamech, Noah<br/><small>(The Remainder)</small>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2702
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2696<br/><small>(2702 - 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2323<br/><small>(2702 - 379)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2626<br/><small>(2702 - 76)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2642<br/><small>(2702 - 60)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 2672<br/><small>(2702 - 30)</small>
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Group 2: Adam & Shem to Moses<br/><small>(The "Second Half")</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9; font-weight:bold;" | 4949
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4955<br/><small>(4949 + 6)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 4834<br/><small>(4949 - 115)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | —
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5609<br/><small>(4949 + 660)</small>
| style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 5930<br/><small>(4949 + 981)</small>
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px;"
! LIFESPAN DURATION SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| 11,991
| —
| 13,200
| 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
* '''The Masoretic Text (MT):''' This tradition shifted 6 years from the "Remainder" to Group 2. This move broke the original symmetry but preserved the '''4,949-year sum''' for the Group 1 block.
* '''The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):''' This tradition reduced both Group 1 and Group 2 by exactly 115 years each. While this maintained the underlying symmetry between the two primary blocks, the 101-Jubilee connection was lost.
* '''The Armenian Eusebius Chronology:''' This tradition reduced the Remainder by 60 years while increasing Group 2 by 660 years. This resulted in a net increase of exactly 600 years, or '''10 ''šūši''''' (base-60 units).
* '''The Septuagint (LXX):''' This tradition adds 981 years to Group 2 while subtracting 30 years from the Remainder. This breaks the symmetry of the primary blocks and subverts any obvious connection to sexagesimal (base-60) influence.
The use of rounded Mesopotamian figures in the '''Armenian Eusebius Chronology''' suggests it likely emerged prior to the Hellenistic conquest of Persia. Conversely, the '''Septuagint's''' divergence indicates a later development—likely in [[w:Alexandria|Alexandria]]—where Hellenized Jews were more focused on correlating Hebrew history with Greek and Egyptian chronologies than on maintaining Persian-era mathematical motifs.
=== Lifespan Adjustments by Individual Patriarch ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center;"
|+ Comparison of Chronological Traditions (Individual Patriarch Lifespans)
|-
! rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | Patriarch
! colspan="1" rowspan = "2" style="background-color:#f3e5f5; border-bottom:2px solid #9c27b0;" | PT2
! colspan="2" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 912
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 905
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 910
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 895
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
| 847
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 962
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 365
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
| 720
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 969
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 950
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 783
| 777
| 653
| 707
| 723
| 753
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 930
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
| rowspan="9" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 600
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arpachshad
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 438
| 538
| 535
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan (II)
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | —
| —
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 433
| 536
| 460
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 464
| 404
| 567
| colspan="2" | 404
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| colspan="2" | 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 239
| 342
| 339
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 230
| colspan="2" | 330
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 148
| 198
| 304
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
| 145
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 205
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abraham
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 175
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Isaac
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
| 185
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 180
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jacob
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 147
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Levi
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
| rowspan="3" | —
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 137
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kohath
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 133
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Amram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 131
| 137
| 136
| colspan="2" | 132
|-
| style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Moses
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8; font-weight:bold; color:#555;" | 120
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! style="text-align:left; color:black;" | LIFESPAN<br/>DURATION<br/>SUM
| colspan="2" | 12,600
| colspan="1" | 11,991
| —
| colspan="1" | 13,200
| colspan="1" | 13,551
|}
<small>* '''Dash (—)''' indicates where primary sources do not provide complete death data.</small>
=== Samaritan Adjustment Details ===
As shown in the above table, the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) systematically reduces the total lifespans of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech so that all three die precisely in the year of the Flood, leaving Noah as the sole survivor. The required reduction in Jared's lifespan was '''115 years'''. Interestingly, as noted previously, the Samaritan tradition also reduces the lifespans of later patriarchs by a combined total of 115 years, seemingly to maintain a numerical balance between the "Group 1" and "Group 2" patriarchs.
Specifically, this balance was achieved through the following adjustments:
* '''Eber''' and '''Terah''' each had their lifespans reduced by 60 years (one ''šūši'' each).
* '''Amram's''' lifespan was increased by five years.
This net adjustment of 115 years (60 + 60 - 5) suggests a deliberate schematic balancing.
=== Masoretic Adjustment Details ===
In the 2017 article, "[https://wordpress.com Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]," Paul D. describes a specific shift in Lamech's death age in the Masoretic tradition:
<blockquote>"The original age of Lamech was 753, and a late editor of the MT changed it to the schematic 777 (inspired by Gen 4:24, it seems, even though that is supposed to be a different Lamech: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold). (Hendel 2012: 8; Northcote 251)"</blockquote>
While Paul D. accepts 753 as the original age, this conclusion creates significant tension within his own numerical analysis. A central pillar of his article is the discovery that the sum of all patriarchal ages from Adam to Moses totals exactly '''12,600 years'''—a result that relies specifically on Lamech living 777 years. To dismiss 777 as a late "tweak" in favor of 753 potentially overlooks the intentional mathematical architecture that defines the Masoretic tradition. As Paul D. acknowledges:
<blockquote>"Alas, it appears that the lifespan of Lamech was changed from 753 to 777. Additionally, the age of Eber was apparently changed from 404 (as it is in the LXX) to 464... Presumably, these tweaks were made after the MT diverged from other versions of the text, in order to obtain the magic number 12,600 described above."</blockquote>
==== ''Lectio Difficilior Potior'' ====
The principle of ''[[Wikipedia:Lectio difficilior potior|Lectio Difficilior Potior]]'' (the "harder reading is stronger") suggests that scribes tend to simplify or "smooth" texts by introducing patterns. Therefore, when reconstructing an earlier tradition, the critic should often favor the reading with the least amount of artificial internal structure. This concept is particularly useful in evaluating major events in Noah's life.
In the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) tradition, Noah is born in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:28,31%7Cversion=SPE Lamech’s 53rd year and Lamech dies when he is 653]. In the Septuagint tradition Lamech dies [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:31%7Cversion=AB when he is 753, exactly one hundred years later than the Samaritan tradition]. If we combine that with the 500-year figure for Noah's age at the birth of his sons, a suspiciously neat pattern emerges:
* '''Year 500 (of Noah):''' Shem is born.
* '''Year 600 (of Noah):''' The Flood occurs.
* '''Year 700 (of Noah):''' Lamech dies.
This creates a perfectly intervalic 200-year span (500–700) between the birth of the heir and the death of the father. Such a "compressed chronology" (500–600–700) is a hallmark of editorial smoothing. Applying ''Lectio Difficilior'', one might conclude that these specific figures (53, 653, and 753) are secondary schematic developments rather than original data. In the reconstructed prototype chronology (PT2), it is proposed that Lamech's original lifespan was '''783 years'''—a value not preserved in any surviving tradition. Under this theory, Lamech's lifespan was reduced by six years in the Masoretic tradition to reach the '''777''' figure described previously, while Amram's was increased by six years in a deliberate "balancing" of total chronological years.
=== Armenian Eusebius Adjustments ===
Perhaps the most surprising adjustments of all are those found in the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology. Eusebius's original work is dated to 325 AD, and the Armenian recension is presumed to have diverged from the Greek text approximately a hundred years later. It is not anticipated that the Armenian recension would retain Persian-era mathematical motifs; however, when the lifespan durations for all of the patriarchs are added up, the resulting figure is 13,200 years, which is exactly 600 years (or 10 ''šūši'') more than the Masoretic Text. Also, the specific adjustments to lifespans between the Prototype 2 (PT2) chronology and the Armenian recension of Eusebius's Long Chronology appear to be formulated using the Persian 60-based system.
Specifically, the following adjustments appear to have occurred for Group 2 patriarchs:
* '''Arpachshad''', '''Peleg''', and '''Serug''' each had their lifespans increased by 100 years.
* '''Shelah''', '''Eber''', and '''Reu''' each had their lifespans increased by 103 years.
* '''Nahor''' had his lifespan increased by 50 years.
* '''Amram''' had his lifespan increased by 1 year.
The sum total of the above adjustments amounts to 660 years, or 11 ''šūši''. When combined with the 60-year reduction in Lamech's life (from 783 years to 723 years), the combined final adjustment is 10 ''šūši''.
= It All Started With Grain =
[[File:Centres_of_origin_and_spread_of_agriculture_labelled.svg|thumb|500px|Centres of origin of agriculture in the Neolithic revolution]]
The chronology found in the ''Book of Jubilees'' has deep roots in the Neolithic Revolution, stretching back roughly 14,400 years to the [https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/ancient-bread-jordan/ Black Desert of Jordan]. There, Natufian hunter-gatherers first produced flatbread by grinding wild cereals and tubers into flour, mixing them with water, and baking the dough on hot stones. This original flour contained a mix of wild wheat, wild barley, and tubers like club-rush (''Bolboschoenus glaucus''). Over millennia, these wild plants transformed into domesticated crops.
The first grains to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around 10,000–12,000 years ago, were emmer wheat (''Triticum dicoccum''), einkorn wheat (''Triticum monococcum''), and hulled barley (''Hordeum vulgare''). Early farmers discovered that barley was essential for its early harvest, while wheat was superior for making bread. The relative qualities of these two grains became a focus of early biblical religion, as recorded in [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Lev.23:10-21 Leviticus 23:10-21], where the people were commanded to bring the "firstfruits of your harvest" (referring to barley) before the Lord:
<blockquote>"then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord"</blockquote>
To early farmers, for whom hunger was a constant reality and winter survival uncertain, that first barley harvest was a profound sign of divine deliverance from the hardships of the season. The commandment in Leviticus 23 continues:
<blockquote>"And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord."</blockquote>
[[File:Ghandum_ki_katai_-punjab.jpg|thumb|500px|[https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.]]
These seven sabbaths amount to forty-nine days. The number 49 is significant because wheat typically reaches harvest roughly 49 days after barley. This grain carried a different symbolism: while barley represented survival and deliverance from winter, wheat represented the "better things" and the abundance provided to the faithful. [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Deu.16:9-10 Deuteronomy 16:9-10] similarly commands the people to count seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain, celebrating the feast on the fiftieth day.
This 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests was so integral to ancient worship that it informed the timeline of the Exodus. Among the plagues of Egypt, [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Exo.9:31-32 Exodus 9:31-32] describes the destruction of crops:
<blockquote>"And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rye <small>(likely emmer wheat or spelt)</small> were not smitten: for they were not grown up."</blockquote>
This text establishes that the Exodus—God's deliverance from slavery—began during the barley harvest. Just as the barley harvest signaled the end of winter’s hardship, it symbolized Israel's release from bondage.
The Israelites left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan (the first month) and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai on the 1st of Sivan (the third month), 45 days later. In Jewish tradition, the giving of the Ten Commandments is identified with the 6th or 7th of Sivan—exactly 50 days after the Exodus. Thus, the Exodus (deliverance) corresponds to the barley harvest and is celebrated as the [[wikipedia:Passover|Passover]] holiday, while the Law (the life of God’s subjects) corresponds to the wheat harvest and is celebrated as [[wikipedia:Shavuot|Shavuot]]. This pattern carries into Christianity: Jesus was crucified during Passover (barley harvest), celebrated as [[wikipedia:Easter|Easter]], and fifty days later, the Holy Spirit was sent at [[wikipedia:Pentecost|Pentecost]] (wheat harvest).
=== The Mathematical Structure of Jubilees ===
The chronology of the ''Book of Jubilees'' is built upon this base-7 agricultural cycle, expanded into a fractal system of "weeks":
* '''Week of Years:''' 7<sup>1</sup> = 7 years
* '''Jubilee of Years:''' 7<sup>2</sup> = 49 years
* '''Week of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>3</sup> = 343 years
* '''Jubilee of Jubilees:''' 7<sup>4</sup> = 2,401 years
The author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology envisions the entirety of early Hebraic history, from the creation of Adam to the entry into Canaan, as occurring within a Jubilee of Jubilees, concluding with a fiftieth Jubilee of years. In this framework, the 2,450-year span (2,401 + 49 = 2,450) serves as a grand-scale reflection of the agricultural transition from the barley of deliverance to the wheat of the Promised Land.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology]]
The above diagram illustrates the reconstructed Jubilee of Jubilees fractal chronology. The first twenty rows in the left column respectively list 20 individual patriarchs, with parentheses indicating their age at the birth of their successor. Shem, the 11th patriarch and son of Noah, is born in reconstructed year 1209, which is roughly halfway through the 2,401-year structure. Abram is listed in the 21st position with a 77 in parentheses, indicating that Abram entered Canaan when he was 77 years old. The final three rows represent the Canaan, Egypt, and 40-year Sinai eras. Chronological time flows from the upper left to the lower right, utilizing 7x7 grids to represent 49-year Jubilees within a larger, nested "Jubilee of Jubilees" (49x49). Note that the two black squares at the start of the Sinai era mark the two-year interval between the Exodus and the completion of the Tabernacle.
* The '''first Jubilee''' (top-left 7x7 grid) covers the era from Adam's creation through his 49th year.
* The '''second Jubilee''' (the adjacent 7x7 grid to the right) spans Adam's 50th through 98th years.
* The '''third Jubilee''' marks the birth of Seth in the year 130, indicated by a color transition within the grid.
* The '''twenty-fifth Jubilee''' occupies the center of the 49x49 structure; it depicts Shem's birth and the chronological transition from pre-flood to post-flood patriarchs.
== The Birth of Shem (A Digression) ==
Were Noah's sons born when Noah was 500 or 502?
==== The 502 Calculation ====
While [https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.5:32 Genesis 5:32] states that "Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth," this likely indicates the year Noah ''began'' having children rather than the year all three were born. Shem’s specific age can be deduced by comparing other verses:
# Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.7:6 Genesis 7:6]).
# Shem was 100 years old when he fathered Arpachshad, two years after the flood ([https://www.stepbible.org/?q=reference=Gen.11:10 Genesis 11:10])
'''The Calculation:''' If Shem was 100 years old two years after the flood, he was 98 when the flood began. Subtracting 98 from Noah’s 600th year (600 - 98) results in '''502'''. This indicates that either Japheth or Ham was the eldest son, born when Noah was 500, followed by Shem two years later. Shem is likely listed first in the biblical text due to his status as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
== The Mathematical relationship between 40 and 49 ==
As noted previously, the ''Jubilees'' author envisions early Hebraic history within a "Jubilee of Jubilees" fractal chronology (2,401 years). Shem is born in year 1209, which is a nine-year offset from the exact mathematical center of 1200. To understand this shift, one must look at a mathematical relationship that exists between the foundational numbers 40 and 49. Specifically, 40 can be expressed as a difference of squares derived from 7; using the distributive property, the relationship is demonstrated as follows:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
(7-3)(7+3) &= 7^2 - 3^2 \\
&= 49 - 9 \\
&= 40
\end{aligned}
</math>
The following diagram graphically represents the above mathematical relationship. A Jubilee may be divided into two unequal portions of 9 and 40.
[[File:Jubilee_to_Generation_Division.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram illustrating the division of a Jubilee into unequal portions of 9 and 40.]]
Shem's placement within the structure can be understood mathematically as the first half of the fractal plus nine pre-flood years, followed by the second half of the fractal plus forty post-flood years, totaling the entire fractal plus one Jubilee (49 years):
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Book_of_Jubilees_Early_Patriarchs_split.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of early Hebraic history as envisioned by the author of the ''Jubilees'' chronology with a split fractal framework]]
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan)'''
** Pre-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 - 1}{2} + 3^2 = 1200 + 9 = 1209</math>
** Post-Flood Patriarch years:
*:<math display="block">\frac{7^4 + 1}{2} + (7^2 - 3^2) = 1201 + 40 = 1241</math>
** Total Years:
*:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450</math>
</div>
== The Samaritan Pentateuch Connection ==
Of all biblical chronologies, the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' share the closest affinity during the pre-flood era, suggesting that the Jubilee system may be a key to unlocking the SP’s internal logic. The diagram below illustrates the structural organization of the patriarchs within the Samaritan tradition.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Jubilees mathematical framework]]
=== Determining Chronological Priority ===
A comparison of the begettal ages in the above Samaritan diagram with the Jubilees diagram reveals a deep alignment between these systems. From Adam to Shem, the chronologies are nearly identical, with minor discrepancies likely resulting from scribal transmission. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, Shem, Ham, and Japheth are born in year 1207 (with Shem's reconstructed birth year as 1209), maintaining a birth position within the 25th Jubilee—the approximate center of the 49x49 "Jubilee of Jubilees."
This raises a vital question of chronological priority: which system came first? Shem’s placement at the center of the 49x49 grid suggests that the schematic framework of the Book of Jubilees may have influenced the Samaritan Pentateuch's chronology, even if the latter's narratives are older. It is highly probable that Shem's "pivot" position was an intentional design feature inherited or shared by the Samaritan tradition, rather than a coincidental alignment.
=== The 350-Year Symmetrical Extension ===
Post-flood begettal ages differ significantly between these two chronologies. In the Samaritan Pentateuch, the ages of six patriarchs at the birth of their successors are significantly higher than those in the ''Book of Jubilees'', extending the timeline by exactly 350 years (assuming the inclusion of a six-year conquest under Joshua, represented by the black-outlined squares in the SP diagram). This extension appears to be a deliberate, symmetrical addition: a "week of Jubilees" (343 years) plus a "week of years" (7 years).
<div style="line-height: 1.5;">
* '''Book of Jubilees (Adam to Canaan):'''
:<math display="block">7^4 + 7^2 = 2401 + 49 = 2450 \text{ years}</math>
* '''Samaritan Pentateuch (Adam to Conquest):'''
:<math display="block">\begin{aligned} \text{(Base 49): } & 7^4 + 7^3 + 7^2 + 7^1 = 2401 + 343 + 49 + 7 = 2800 \\ \text{(Base 40): } & 70 \times 40 = 2800 \end{aligned}</math>
</div>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Early Samaritan Chronology ===
To understand the motivation for the 350-year variation between the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the SP, a specific mathematical framework must be considered. The following diagram illustrates the Samaritan tradition using a '''40-year grid''' (4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks each):
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) contains 25 blocks, representing exactly '''1,000 years'''.
* '''The second cluster''' represents a second millennium.
* '''The final set''' contains 20 blocks (4x5), representing '''800 years'''.
Notably, when the SP chronology is mapped to this 70-unit format, the conquest of Canaan aligns precisely with the end of the 70th block. This suggests a deliberate structural design—totaling 2,800 years—rather than a literal historical record.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Early_Patriarchs_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Diagram of Hebraic history as presented in ''the Samaritan Pentateuch'' chronology, organized into a Generational (4x10 year blocks) mathematical framework]]
== Living in the Rough ==
[[File:Samaritan Passover sacrifice IMG 1988.JPG|thumb|350px|A Samaritan Passover Sacrifice 1988]]
As explained previously, 49 (a Jubilee) is closely associated with agriculture and the 49-day interval between the barley and wheat harvests. The symbolic origins of the number '''40''' (often representing a "generation") are less clear, but the number is consistently associated with "living in the rough"—periods of trial, transition, or exile away from the comforts of civilization.
Examples of this pattern include:
* '''Noah''' lived within the ark for 40 days while the rain fell;
* '''Israel''' wandered in the wilderness for 40 years;
* '''Moses''' stayed on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights without food or water.
Several other prophets followed this pattern, most notably '''Jesus''' in the New Testament, who fasted in the wilderness for 40 days before beginning his ministry. In each case, the number 40 marks a period of testing that precedes a new spiritual or national era.
Another recurring theme in the [[w:Pentateuch|Pentateuch]] is the tension between settled farmers and mobile pastoralists. This friction is first exhibited between Cain and Abel: Cain, a farmer, offered grain as a sacrifice to God, while Abel, a pastoralist, offered meat. When Cain’s offering was rejected, he slew Abel in a fit of envy. The narrative portrays Cain as clever and deceptive, whereas Abel is presented as honest and earnest—a precursor to the broader biblical preference for the wilderness over the "civilized" city.
In a later narrative, Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, further exemplify this dichotomy. Jacob—whose name means "supplanter"—is characterized as clever and potentially deceptive, while Esau is depicted as a rough, hairy, and uncivilized man, who simply says what he feels, lacking the calculated restraint of his brother. Esau is described as a "skillful hunter" and a "man of the field," while Jacob is "dwelling in tents" and cooking "lentil stew."
The text draws a clear parallel between these two sets of brothers:
* In the '''Cain and Abel''' narrative, the plant-based sacrifice of Cain is rejected in favor of the meat-based one.
* In the '''Jacob and Esau''' story, Jacob’s mother intervenes to ensure he offers meat (disguised as game) to secure his father's blessing. Through this "clever" intervention, Jacob successfully secures the favor that Cain could not.
Jacob’s life trajectory progresses from the pastoralist childhood he inherited from Isaac toward the most urbanized lifestyle of the era. His son, Joseph, ultimately becomes the vizier of Egypt, tasked with overseeing the nation's grain supply—the ultimate symbol of settled, agricultural civilization.
This path is juxtaposed against the life of Moses: while Moses begins life in the Egyptian court, he is forced into the wilderness after killing a taskmaster. Ultimately, Moses leads all of Israel back into the wilderness, contrasting with Jacob, who led them into Egypt. While Jacob’s family found a home within civilization, Moses was forbidden to enter the Promised Land, eventually dying in the "rough" of the wilderness.
Given the contrast between the lives of Jacob and Moses—and the established associations of 49 with grain and 40 with the wilderness—it is likely no coincidence that their lifespans follow these exact mathematical patterns. Jacob is recorded as living 147 years, precisely three Jubilees (3 x 49). In contrast, Moses lived exactly 120 years, representing three "generations" (3 x 40).
The relationship between these two "three-fold" lifespans can be expressed by the same nine-year offset identified in the Shem chronology:
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
3(49 - 9) &= 3(40) \\
147 - 27 &= 120
\end{aligned}
</math>
[[File:Three_Jubilees_vs_Three_Generations.png|thumb|center|500px|Jacob lived for 147 years, or three Jubilees of 49 years each as illustrated by the above 7 x 7 squares. Jacob's life is juxtaposed against the life of Moses, who lived 120 years, or three generations of 40 years each as illustrated by the above 4 x 10 rectangles.]]
Samaritan tradition maintains a unique cultural link to the "pastoralist" ideal: unlike mainstream Judaism, Samaritans still practice animal sacrifice on Mount Gerizim to this day. This enduring ritual focus on meat offerings, rather than the "grain-based" agricultural system symbolized by the 49-year Jubilee, further aligns the Samaritan identity with the symbolic number 40. Building on this connection to "wilderness living," the Samaritan chronology appears to structure the era prior to the conquest of Canaan using the number 40 as its primary mathematical unit.
=== A narrative foil for Joshua ===
As noted in the previous section, the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' structures the era prior to Joshua using 40 years as a fundamental unit; in this system, Joshua completes his six-year conquest of Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after the creation of Adam. It was also observed that the Bible positions Moses as a "foil" for Jacob: Moses lived exactly three "generations" (3x40) and died in the wilderness, whereas Jacob lived three Jubilees (3x49) and died in civilization.
This symmetry suggests an intriguing possibility: if Joshua conquered Canaan exactly 70 units of 40 years (2,800 years) after creation, is there a corresponding "foil" to Joshua—a significant event occurring exactly 70 Jubilees (3,430 years) after the creation of Adam?
<math display="block">
\begin{aligned}
49 - 9 &= 40 \\
70(49 - 9) &= 70(40) \\
3,430 - 630 &= 2,800
\end{aligned}
</math>
Unfortunately, unlike mainstream Judaism, the Samaritans do not grant post-conquest writings the same scriptural status as the Five Books of Moses. While the Samaritans maintain various historical records, these were likely not preserved with the same mathematical rigor as the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' itself. Consequently, it remains difficult to determine with certainty if a specific "foil" to Joshua existed in the original architect's mind.
The Samaritans do maintain a continuous, running calendar. However, this system uses a "Conquest Era" epoch—calculated by adding 1,638 years to the Gregorian date—which creates a 1639 BC (there is no year 0 AD) conquest that is historically irreconcilable. For instance, at that time, the [[w:Hyksos|Hyksos]] were only beginning to establish control over Lower Egypt. Furthermore, the [[w:Amarna letters|Amarna Letters]] (c. 1360–1330 BC) describe a Canaan still governed by local city-states under Egyptian influence. If the Samaritan chronology were a literal historical record, the Israelite conquest would have occurred centuries before these letters; yet, neither archaeological nor epistolary evidence supports such a massive geopolitical shift in the mid-17th century BC.
There is, however, one more possibility to consider: what if the "irreconcilable" nature of this running calendar is actually the key? What if the Samaritan chronographers specifically altered their tradition to ensure that the Conquest occurred exactly 2,800 years after Creation, and the subsequent "foil" event occurred exactly 3,430 years after Creation?
As it turns out, this is precisely what occurred. The evidence for this intentional mathematical recalibration was recorded by none other than a Samaritan High Priest, providing a rare "smoking gun" for the artificial design of the chronology.
=== A Mystery Solved ===
In 1864, the Rev. John Mills published ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', documenting his time spent with the Samaritans in 1855 and 1860. During this period, he consulted regularly with the High Priest Amram. In Chapter XIII, Mills records a specific chronology provided by the priest.
The significant milestones in this timeline include:
* '''Year 1''': "This year the world and Adam were created."
* '''Year 2801''': "The first year of Israel's rule in the land of Canaan."
* '''Year 3423''': "The commencement of the kingdom of Solomon."
According to 1 Kings 6:37–38, Solomon began the Temple in his fourth year and completed it in his eleventh, having labored for seven years. This reveals that the '''3,430-year milestone'''—representing exactly 70 Jubilees (70 × 49) after Creation—corresponds precisely to the midpoint of the Temple’s construction. This chronological "anchor" was not merely a foil for Joshua; it served as a mathematical foil for the Divine Presence itself.
In Creation Year 2800—marking exactly 70 "generations" of 40 years—God entered Canaan in a tent, embodying the "living rough" wilderness tradition symbolized by the number 40. Later, in Creation Year 3430—marking 70 "Jubilees" of 49 years—God moved into the permanent Temple built by Solomon, the ultimate archetype of settled, agricultural civilization. Under this schema, the 630 years spanning Joshua's conquest to Solomon's temple are not intended as literal history; rather, they represent the 70 units of 9 years required to transition mathematically from the 70<sup>th</sup> generation to the 70<sup>th</sup> Jubilee:
:<math>70 \times 40 + (70 \times 9) = 70 \times 49</math>
=== Mathematical Structure of the Later Samaritan Chronology ===
The following diagram illustrates 2,400 years of reconstructed chronology, based on historical data provided by the Samaritan High Priest Amram. This system utilizes a '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 10 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,400''' after Creation.
The 70th generation and 70th Jubilee are both marked with callouts in this diagram. There is a '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''', which is composed of:
* The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness;
* The 6 years of the initial conquest;
* The 630 years between the conquest and the completion of Solomon’s Temple.
Following the '''676-year "Tabernacle" era''' is a '''400-year "First Temple" era''' and a '''70-year "Exile" era''' as detailed in the historical breakdown below.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Samaritan_Pentateuch_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Samaritan chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Book of Daniel states: "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it" (Daniel 1:1). While scholarly consensus varies regarding the historicity of this first deportation, if historical, it occurred in approximately '''606 BC'''—ten years prior to the second deportation of '''597 BC''', and twenty years prior to the final deportation and destruction of Solomon’s Temple in '''586 BC'''.
The '''539 BC''' fall of Babylon to the Persian armies opened the way for captive Judeans to return to their homeland. By '''536 BC''', a significant wave of exiles had returned to Jerusalem—marking fifty years since the Temple's destruction and seventy years since the first recorded deportation in 606 BC. A Second Temple (to replace Solomon's) was completed by '''516 BC''', seventy years after the destruction of the original structure.
High Priest Amram places the fall of Babylon in year '''3877 after Creation'''. If synchronized with the 539 BC calculation of modern historians, then year '''3880''' (three years after the defeat of Babylon) corresponds with '''536 BC''' and the initial return of the Judeans.
Using this synchronization, other significant milestones are mapped as follows:
* '''The Exile Period (Years 3810–3830):''' The deportations occurred during this 20-year window, represented in the diagram by '''yellow squares outlined in red'''.
* '''The Desolation (Years 3830–3880):''' The fifty years between the destruction of the Temple and the initial return of the exiles are represented by '''solid red squares'''.
* '''Temple Completion (Years 3880–3900):''' The twenty years between the return of the exiles and the completion of the Second Temple are marked with '''light blue squares outlined in red'''.
High Priest Amram places the founding of Alexandria in the year '''4100 after Creation'''. This implies a 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning years 3900 to 4100). While this duration is not strictly historical—modern historians date the founding of Alexandria to 331 BC, only 185 years after the completion of the Second Temple in 516 BC—it remains remarkably close to the scholarly timeline.
The remainder of the diagram represents a 300-year "Second Temple Hellenistic Era," which concludes in '''Creation Year 4400''' (30 BC).
=== Competing Temples ===
There is one further significant aspect of the Samaritan tradition to consider. In High Priest Amram's reconstructed chronology, the year '''4000 after Creation'''—representing exactly 100 generations of 40 years—falls precisely in the middle of the 200-year "Second Temple Persian Era" (spanning creation years 3900 to 4100, or approximately 516 BC to 331 BC). This alignment suggests that the 4000-year milestone may have been significant within the Samaritan historical framework.
According to the Book of Ezra, the Samaritans were excluded from participating in the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple:
<blockquote>"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel" (Ezra 4:3).</blockquote>
After rejection in Jerusalem, the Samaritans established a rival sanctuary on '''[[w:Mount Gerizim|Mount Gerizim]]'''. [[w:Mount Gerizim Temple|Archaeological evidence]] suggests the original temple and its sacred precinct were built around the mid-5th century BC (c. 450 BC). For nearly 250 years, this modest 96-by-98-meter site served as the community's religious center. However, the site was transformed in the early 2nd century BC during the reign of '''Antiochus III'''. This massive expansion replaced the older structures with white ashlar stone, a grand entrance staircase, and a fortified priestly city capable of housing a substantial population.
[[File:Archaeological_site_Mount_Gerizim_IMG_2176.JPG|thumb|center|500px|Mount Gerizim Archaeological site, Mount Gerizim.]]
This era of prosperity provides a plausible window for dating the final '''[[w:Samaritan Pentateuch|Samaritan Pentateuch]]''' chronological tradition. If the chronology was intentionally structured to mark a milestone with the year 4000—perhaps the Temple's construction or other significant event—then the final form likely developed during this period. However, this Samaritan golden age had ended by 111 BC when the Hasmonean ruler '''[[w:John Hyrcanus|John Hyrcanus I]]''' destroyed both the temple and the adjacent city. The destruction was so complete that the site remained largely desolate for centuries; consequently, the Samaritan chronological tradition likely reached its definitive form sometime after 450 BC but prior to 111 BC.
= The Rise of Zadok =
The following diagram illustrates 2,200 years of reconstructed Masoretic chronology. This diagram utilizes the same system as the previous Samaritan diagram, '''40-year grid''' (modeled on 4x10 year blocks) organized into 5x5 clusters (25 blocks per cluster), where each cluster represents exactly 1,000 years:
* '''The first cluster''' (outlined in dark grey) spans years '''2,000 to 3,000''' after Creation.
* '''The second cluster''' spans years '''3,000 to 4,000''' after Creation.
* '''The final set''' contains 5 individual blocks representing the period from '''4,000 to 4,200''' after Creation.
The Masoretic chronology has many notable distinctions from the Samaritan chronology described in the previous section. Most notable is the absence of important events tied to siginificant dates. There was nothing of significance that happened on the 70th generation or 70th Jubilee in the Masoretic chronology. The 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and Conquest of Canaan are shown in the diagram, but the only significant date associated with these events in the exodus falling on year 2666 after creation. The Samaritan chronology was a collage of spiritual history. The Masoretic chronology is a barren wilderness. To understand why the Masoretic chronology is so devoid of featured dates, it is important to understand the two important dates that are featured, the exodus at 2666 years after creation, and the 4000 year event.
[[File:Schematic_Diagram_Masoretic_Text_Late_Era_40.png|thumb|center|500px|Schematic of later Hebraic history based on Masoretic chronology, demonstrating a generational mathematical framework.]]
The Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) was a successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire that regained religious freedom and eventually established an independent Jewish kingdom in Judea. Triggered by the oppressive policies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the uprising is the historical basis for the holiday of Hanukkah, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its liberation. In particular, Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which took place in 164 BC, cooresponding to creation year 4000.
= Hellenized Jews =
Hellenized Jews were
ancient Jewish individuals, primarily in the Diaspora (like Alexandria) and some in Judea, who adopted Greek language, education, and cultural customs after Alexander the Great's conquests, particularly between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. While integrating Hellenistic culture—such as literature, philosophy, and naming conventions—most maintained core religious monotheism, avoiding polytheism while producing unique literature like the Septuagint.
= End TBD =
'''Table Legend:'''
* <span style="color:#b71c1c;">'''Red Cells'''</span> indicate figures that could result in patriarchs surviving beyond the date of the Flood.
* <span style="color:#333333;">'''Blank Cells'''</span> indicate where primary sources do not provide specific lifespan or death data.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Pre-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="1" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Adam
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 230
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Seth
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 105
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 205
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enosh
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 90
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 190
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Kenan
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 170
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Mahalalel
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 66
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Jared
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 62
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 162
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Enoch
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 65
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 165
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Methuselah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 65
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 67
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 187
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 167 / 187
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Lamech
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 55
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#ffcdd2; color:#b71c1c; font-weight:bold; border:2px solid #ef5350;" | 53
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 188
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 182 / 188
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Noah
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 602
| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 600
| rowspan="2" colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shem
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-family:sans-serif; font-size:13px; text-align:center; table-layout:fixed;"
|+ Comparison of Post-Flood Chronological Traditions (Age at birth of son)
|-
! colspan="1" rowspan="2" | Patriarch
! colspan="3" style="background-color:#e3f2fd; border-bottom:2px solid #2196f3;" | SHORT CHRONOLOGY
! colspan="6" style="background-color:#fff3e0; border-bottom:2px solid #ff9800;" | LONG CHRONOLOGY
|-
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Jubilees <br/> (Jub)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Masoretic <br/> (MT)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#e3f2fd;" | Samaritan <br/> (SP)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Demetrius <br/> (204 BC)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Africanus <br/> (221 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Theophilus <br/> (192 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Septuagint <br/> (LXX)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Eusebius <br/> (325 AD)
! colspan="1" style="background-color:#fff3e0;" | Josephus <br/> (94 AD)
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | Pre-Flood
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 1656
| colspan="1" | 1309
| colspan="1" | 2264
| colspan="1" | 2262
| colspan="1" | 2242
| colspan="3" | Varied
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Arphaxad
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 66
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 35
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Cainan II
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 130
| colspan="2" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | -
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Shelah
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 71
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Eber
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 64
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 34
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 134
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Peleg
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 61
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="7" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Reu
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 59
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 32
| colspan="5" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 135
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Serug
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 57
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 30
| colspan="6" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 130
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 132
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Nahor
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 62
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 29
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79 / 179
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 79
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 120
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Terah
| colspan="9" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 70
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Abram
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 78
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 75
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Canaan
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 218
| colspan="8" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Egypt
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 238
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 430
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 215
|-
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; background-color:#f9f9f9;" | Sinai +/-
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | 40
| colspan="1" style="background-color:#f9f9f9;" | -
| colspan="3" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 46
| colspan="4" style="background-color:#e8e8e8;" | 40
|- style="background-color:#333; color:white; font-weight:bold; font-size:15px;"
! colspan="1" style="text-align:left; color:black;" | GRAND TOTAL
| colspan="1" | 2450
| colspan="1" | 2666
| colspan="1" | 2800
| colspan="1" | 3885
| colspan="1" | 3754
| colspan="1" | 3938
| colspan="3" | Varied
|}
== The Septuagint Chronology ==
While the chronologies of the ''Book of Jubilees'' and the ''Samaritan Pentateuch'' are anchored in Levant-based agricultural cycles and the symbolic interplay of the numbers 40 and 49, the Septuagint (LXX) appears to have been structured around a different set of priorities. Specifically, the LXX's chronological framework seems designed to resolve a significant textual difficulty: the mathematical anomaly of patriarchs potentially outliving the Flood. In the 2017 article, ''[https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/some-curious-numerical-facts-about-the-ages-of-the-patriarchs/ Some Curious Numerical Facts about the Ages of the Patriarchs]'', author Paul D. makes the following statement regarding the Septuagint:
<blockquote>“The LXX’s editor methodically added 100 years to the age at which each patriarch begat his son. Adam begat Seth at age 230 instead of 130, and so on. This had the result of postponing the date of the Flood by 900 years without affecting the patriarchs’ lifespans, which he possibly felt were too important to alter. Remarkably, however, the editor failed to account for Methuselah’s exceptional longevity, so old Methuselah still ends up dying 14 years after the Flood in the LXX. (Whoops!)”</blockquote>
While Paul D.’s "Whoops Theory" suggests the LXX editor intended to "fix" the timeline but failed in the case of Methuselah, this interpretation potentially overlooks the systemic nature of the changes. If an editor is methodical enough to systematically alter multiple generations by exactly one hundred years, a single "failure" to fix Methuselah could suggest the avoidance of a post-Flood death was not the primary objective.
Fortunately, in addition to the biblical text traditions themselves, the writings of early chronographers provide insight into how these histories were developed. The LXX was the favored source for most Christian scholars during the early church period. Consider the following statement by Eusebius in his ''Chronicon'':
<blockquote>"Methusaleh fathered Lamech when he was 167 years of age. He lived an additional 802 years. Thus he would have survived the flood by 22 years."</blockquote>
This statement illustrates that Eusebius, as early as 325 AD, was aware of these chronological tensions. If he recognized the discrepancy, it is highly probable that earlier chronographers would also have been conscious of the overlap, suggesting it was not part of the earliest traditions but was a later development.
=== Demetrius the Chronographer ===
Demetrius the Chronographer, writing as early as the late 3rd century BC (c. 221 BC), represents the earliest known witness to biblical chronological calculations. While only fragments of his work remain, they are significant; Demetrius explicitly calculated 2,264 years between the creation of Adam and the Flood. This presumably places the birth of Shem at 2,164 years—exactly one hundred years before the Flood—aligning his data with the "Long Chronology" of the Septuagint.
In the comment section of the original article, in response to evidence regarding this longer tradition (provided by commenter Roger Quill), Paul D. reaffirms his "Whoops Theory" by challenging the validity of various witnesses to the 187-year begettal age of Methuselah. In this view, Codex Alexandrinus is seen as the lone legitimate witness, while others are discounted:
* '''Josephus:''' Characterized as dependent on the Masoretic tradition.
* '''Pseudo-Philo:''' Dismissed due to textual corruption ("a real mess").
* '''Julius Africanus:''' Questioned because his records survive only through the later intermediary, Syncellus.
* '''Demetrius:''' Rejected as a witness because his chronology contains an additional 22 years (rather than the typical 20-year variance) whose precise placement remains unknown.
The claim that Julius Africanus is invalidated due to his survival through an intermediary, or that Demetrius is disqualified by a 22-year variance, is arguably overstated. A plausible explanation for the discrepancy in Demetrius's chronology is the ambiguity surrounding the precise timing of the Flood in relation to the births of Shem and Arphaxad. As explored later in this resource, chronographers frequently differ on whether Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood (Gen 11:10) or in the same year—a nuance that can easily account for such variances without necessitating the rejection of the witnesses.
=== The Correlations ===
An interesting piece of corroborating evidence exists in the previously mentioned 1864 publication by Rev. John Mills, ''Three Months' Residence at Nablus'', where High Priest Amram records his own chronological dates based on the Samaritan Pentateuch. Priest Amram lists the Flood date as 1307 years after creation, but then lists the birth of Arphaxad as 1309 years—exactly two years after the Flood—which presumably places Shem's birth in year 502 of Noah's life (though Shem's actual birth date in the text is obscured by a typo).
The internal tension in Priest Amram's calculations likely reflects the same two-year variance seen between Demetrius and Africanus. Priest Amram lists the birth years of Shelah, Eber, and Peleg as 1444, 1574, and 1708, respectively. Africanus lists those same birth years as 2397, 2527, and 2661. In each case, the Priest Amram figure differs from the Africanus value by exactly 953 years. While the chronology of Africanus may reach us through an intermediary, as Paul D. notes, the values provided by both Demetrius and Africanus are precisely what one would anticipate to resolve the "Universal Flood" problem.
[[Category:Religion]]
ljg6v3elb6397cmzfrpylydwzou1bdg
User:ThinkingScience
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328661
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2026-04-21T08:08:28Z
ThinkingScience
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/* April 20th experiment, "AI Decisions, sure. AI-generation NEVER" */ "AI Notes"
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== April 20th experiment, "AI Decisions, sure. AI-generation NEVER" ==
Starting today on April 20th after 08:46 UTC Time(I got UTC time on this computer where I'm so far only using this account), I'll begin by editing Wikiversity resources by being more encouraged by "yeah, do that" comments by Large Language Models.
Nothing of it will be "AI-generated" but the decisions I take: the reason for the decisions I take may be because of "AI-generation" but of course I will try to stay away from clear stupidity like if the AI-generation says "jump off a cliff". An extreme example, but I wanted to make a point that I won't take any decision and I will question the "AI/LLM" if it suggests something that to me sounds insane.
If you see anything weird please comment on my talk page after you've reverted my edits.
When this experiment ends, I don't have a plan for that yet. User input might help.
This is where I make notes of decisions that may motivation me to do edits in places. It should include both inputs and outputs and what kind of "version" of "AI"s/LLMs I'm using:
* [[/April 20th Experiment Notes|"AI Notes" for motivation purposes in this "experiment"]]
== Main focus: my "idea" ==
* This is my [[Draft:The Neurodiversity-inspired Idea]]. There goes the "main effort" based on my other smaller effort in various places and also by using the methodology I one day hope I will make.
* [[User:ThinkingScience/ND_Inspired_Idea_Notebook|Daily Diary of ND Inspired Idea]]
== Coursera schedule and notes ==
Today April 16, 2026 my contributions contain a lot of spelling mistakes. They may be present other days too. You'll probably spot spelling mistakes all over.
My studying schedule as I've understood it so far(studying with my mother):
This schedule is not reliable(cause my studying partner keeps changing the time, which is not necessarily bad):
UTC TIME: 07:30 - 09:30 (2 hours a day, 6 hours a week)
* Monday
* Thursday
* Saturday
These are my course notes: [[User:ThinkingScience/Draftspace/Coursera]]
== I'm studying on Coursera and about their Terms of Use ==
'''Nothing here is legal advice'''. This is very important.
Nothing in this "Wikisection" constitutes legal advice! Please don't blindly follow my advice and if someone copies some parts of this text without providing context then they are responsible for what they share! If you have been tricked by scammers that's sad but I am NOT responsible for illegal activities.
* web.archive.org/web/20260325233813/https://www.coursera.org/about/terms
"When you create your Coursera account, and when you subsequently use certain features, you must provide us with accurate and complete information, and you agree to update your information to keep it accurate and complete."
My interpretation of that is that on Coursera I have to provide a real name. There is a field for "Full name"(retrieved 2026-04-09 UTC YYYY-MM-DD). How does that correspond to these terms? It doesn't say "Real name" but even if it did, what if I choose a name for myself and I'd like to call myself ThinkingScience? Is it still accurate?
They don't specify what I actually have to do, just based on my quote. It would be nice for me and other Coursera learners to know what is true. Is the privacy on Wikiversity better? I'd say it is because on Coursera we are forced to provide an email address to create an account. We are not forced to do that on Wikiversity, Wikidata etc.
== notes about this account ==
This account is an alternative account on a computer I don't trust. It should never be allowed to vote and if it does please block this account.
It's an alt of [[User:Dekatriofovia]] which unfortunately I have to prove right now despite me being in a hurry...so I'll edit my account at Dekatriofovia at the same time almost and publish at the same time...so you know it's me.
The reason for this account is it's on a computer with a bigger screen so I can more easily read books and documents.
== a thing I may regret ==
This may be blathering but it ends with another Wikilink where I will pass my "idea" through '''Wikiversity:Research ethics''' and through anything else that might be required before anything enters Draft space. The "idea" is "'''The Neurodiversity-inspired idea'''".
[[Protoscience]] was an interesting read. I think it will be calming for me if my idea is proven to be pseudoscience cause I can stop worrying about it and leave it behind me. "The Neurodiversity-inspired idea"(in lack for a better name, for now) will not be published in main space, only in draft space.
[[Wikiversity:Original research]] made me think "I may be way over my head" (though I stumbled around a bit due to not knowing English at an advanced enough level...this parenthesis is about some unimportant trivia).
I'm gonna place everything regarding "The Neurodiversity-inspired idea" into draft space and pass it through '''Wikiversity:Research ethics'''(sorry for repeating myself) and anything else I can find and also ask the community here on Wikiversity what else to place it through.
I thought I was gonna create [[User:ThinkingScience/The Neurodiversity-inspired Idea]] and maybe that would be the right way of doing it but I'm gonna try something risky(actually no, I changed my mind, I'll focus on communication with the Wikiversity community first).
'''Draft:The Neurodiversity-inspired Idea''' that probably is in line with "be bold".
=== It happened, a small burden has been lifted ===
I posted to the [[Wikiversity:Colloquium]] https://en.wikiversity.org/w/index.php?title=Wikiversity:Colloquium&oldid=2805080
Thing may be archive in the future. I've lost many things that way.(but also re-discovered many things that landed in the archive that I had posted too!)
One week. One small burden lifted. It was the only way forward. I may have been driven insane otherwise or this is just a very bad day I'm having. Full of things that "real life" is demanding of me.
More specifically, this is what I posted [[Wikiversity:Colloquium#Advice_needed:_A_Neurodiversity-inspired_Idea/observation]]
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User:Sathwara Dev
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328859
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Sathwara Dev
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Simplified user page to a standard volunteer bio.
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== Introduction ==
Hi! I am '''Bansidhar Kadiya''', a web developer from Gujarat, India. I have a professional background in building web-based solutions and a personal interest in maintaining the quality of digital educational resources.
== My Goals on Wikiversity ==
I joined this community to contribute as a technical volunteer. My primary activities include:
* '''Citation Maintenance:''' Identifying and fixing broken external links (404 errors) to ensure learning materials remain accessible.
* '''Internal Connectivity:''' Improving the linking between related technical articles for better navigation.
* '''Technical Accuracy:''' Helping to keep articles related to web development and programming standards up to date.
== Areas of Interest ==
* [[WordPress]] architecture and development.
* Technical Search engine optimization and web performance.
* Clean coding standards and [[JavaScript]] utilities.
----''"Good code is like a well-optimized website—clear, fast, and accessible to everyone."''
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Draft:The Neurodiversity-inspired Idea
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2026-04-21T07:42:36Z
ThinkingScience
3061446
this is a draft edit as usual
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{{Research project|status=draft}}
{{AI-generated}}
{{Notice|'''Please excuse mistakes and problems''' this is a work in progress and pages may be published which are unfinished and that contain unfinished sentences and repetitions}}
== Explanation regarding {{tl|AI-generated}} template presence on this page ==
* Some questions that can be asked have been generated where there is a note about it. ("AI Mode" by Google)
* If something has been generated by an "AI"/LLM then please make a note of that so the reader knows. Also please document the specific "AI name", ie. "AI Mode", "GPT-5 mini" etc. as long as that name is enough to find the AI/LLM on Wikidata or on Wikipedia.
For questions that have been "AI-Generated" this section has been created to document the queries/input:
* [[Draft:The Neurodiversity-inspired Idea/AI Prompt History for Questions|Please document your input and output here when interacting with an AI/LLM]]
== Original Motivations ==
This section can list motivations by each user who contributes content or questions to this page.
* '''User:ThinkingScience''' My motivation is related to perceived limited progress by psychiatry and getting inspired by writers exploring Neurodiversity topics. I don't feel I have a right to have an opinion about psychiatry considering this idea's methodology is being developed during the publishing(and before) of this edit. It is my hope that if this idea develops how I expect it to it will be an "extra parameter" that some other sciences can use, including psychiatry. It is my hope that this idea will thus help psychiatry develop in a great way though my personal hope is it will help sociology more.
* Example user x
* Example user y etc.
== "Do no harm" ==
This section can list ideas/comments by users who are trying to do no harm while using their methodology(which should be documented on this page, if possible!):
* '''User:ThinkingScience''' Considering I am watching videos of famous people in interviews. I am making notes...my goal should be that not only my public notes are following the "Do no harm" but that my private notes do as well. That can be my goal for now. We'll see how this develops...
* Example user x
* Example user y etc.
Do no harm links from [[Wikiversity:Research ethics]] into Wikipedia with no examples for Wikiversity users specifically, yet.
== "Research projects must fully document the methods" ==
{{quote|Safety - Research must be conducted in a safe and lawful manner. Do no harm.}}
which is described on [[Wikiversity:Research ethics]] that links to Wikipedia. This section needs work.
One of the methodologies is to watch a video, ie. a video interview of famous people or footage where the researcher has gotten legal access to the video footage.
Methodologies need to be developed where data is gathered in a way that adheres to "Do no harm".
=== Focusing on creating a "Do no harm"-compliant method ===
This needs to be developed.
This sub-page is created so we can make video notes. We can watch a video and then we can make video notes. We must do the video notes by following [[Wikiversity:Research ethics]] and "Do no harm". How to do that can be tricky. "Do no harm" links to Wikipedia because we don't have our own resource where we help you how to do that.
* [[Draft:The Neurodiversity-inspired Idea/Method_development_through_video_notes]]
=== method of interacting with draft and other pages on Wikiversity ===
"AI Mode" by Google can be used to get inspired by what kind of things to focus on, including if one thinks they started "blathering" and the text started to grow 'for no apparent reason' because the user landed in a "non-productive behavior" and the repeating themselves kept going on and on.
Prompts that generate questions and other things could be added into a subsection of this draft research
== Questions that might encourage the development of this idea and its methodology ==
Questions and 'follow up'-/improved questions generated by Google "AI Mode":
* What is missing right now?
** "Improved" version: "What key sections are missing from this research draft to meet Wikiversity standards?"
* How will we know if the idea is working?
== Future references to this draft ==
In the event that other publications start referring to this draft in the future, the template "findsources" is added:
{{findsources}}
9cuhs3wppov0u3qrbnbund6mykuc8jj
2805741
2805737
2026-04-21T08:19:50Z
ThinkingScience
3061446
/* "Research projects must fully document the methods" */ shortening of the Wikitext...putting it into its own section
2805741
wikitext
text/x-wiki
{{Research project|status=draft}}
{{AI-generated}}
{{Notice|'''Please excuse mistakes and problems''' this is a work in progress and pages may be published which are unfinished and that contain unfinished sentences and repetitions}}
== Explanation regarding {{tl|AI-generated}} template presence on this page ==
* Some questions that can be asked have been generated where there is a note about it. ("AI Mode" by Google)
* If something has been generated by an "AI"/LLM then please make a note of that so the reader knows. Also please document the specific "AI name", ie. "AI Mode", "GPT-5 mini" etc. as long as that name is enough to find the AI/LLM on Wikidata or on Wikipedia.
For questions that have been "AI-Generated" this section has been created to document the queries/input:
* [[Draft:The Neurodiversity-inspired Idea/AI Prompt History for Questions|Please document your input and output here when interacting with an AI/LLM]]
== Original Motivations ==
This section can list motivations by each user who contributes content or questions to this page.
* '''User:ThinkingScience''' My motivation is related to perceived limited progress by psychiatry and getting inspired by writers exploring Neurodiversity topics. I don't feel I have a right to have an opinion about psychiatry considering this idea's methodology is being developed during the publishing(and before) of this edit. It is my hope that if this idea develops how I expect it to it will be an "extra parameter" that some other sciences can use, including psychiatry. It is my hope that this idea will thus help psychiatry develop in a great way though my personal hope is it will help sociology more.
* Example user x
* Example user y etc.
== "Do no harm" ==
This section can list ideas/comments by users who are trying to do no harm while using their methodology(which should be documented on this page, if possible!):
* '''User:ThinkingScience''' Considering I am watching videos of famous people in interviews. I am making notes...my goal should be that not only my public notes are following the "Do no harm" but that my private notes do as well. That can be my goal for now. We'll see how this develops...
* Example user x
* Example user y etc.
Do no harm links from [[Wikiversity:Research ethics]] into Wikipedia with no examples for Wikiversity users specifically, yet.
== "Research projects must fully document the methods" ==
{{quote|Safety - Research must be conducted in a safe and lawful manner. Do no harm.}}
which is described on [[Wikiversity:Research ethics]] that links to Wikipedia. This section needs work.
One of the methodologies is to watch a video, ie. a video interview of famous people or footage where the researcher has gotten legal access to the video footage.
Methodologies need to be developed where data is gathered in a way that adheres to "Do no harm".
=== Focusing on creating a "Do no harm"-compliant method ===
This needs to be developed.
This sub-page is created so we can make video notes. We can watch a video and then we can make video notes. We must do the video notes by following [[Wikiversity:Research ethics]] and "Do no harm". How to do that can be tricky. "Do no harm" links to Wikipedia because we don't have our own resource where we help you how to do that.
=== method of interacting with draft and other pages on Wikiversity ===
"AI Mode" by Google can be used to get inspired by what kind of things to focus on, including if one thinks they started "blathering" and the text started to grow 'for no apparent reason' because the user landed in a "non-productive behavior" and the repeating themselves kept going on and on.
Prompts that generate questions and other things could be added into a subsection of this draft research
=== Video Notes before the creation of a more 'stable' method that adheres to "Do no harm" ===
* [[/Method_development_through_video_notes|Video Notes]]
== Questions that might encourage the development of this idea and its methodology ==
Questions and 'follow up'-/improved questions generated by Google "AI Mode":
* What is missing right now?
** "Improved" version: "What key sections are missing from this research draft to meet Wikiversity standards?"
* How will we know if the idea is working?
== Future references to this draft ==
In the event that other publications start referring to this draft in the future, the template "findsources" is added:
{{findsources}}
bkt5hpwz81k6a6tczwc04vu2sutrrs7
User:Atcovi/OGM & Suicide
2
329164
2805662
2805527
2026-04-20T18:55:01Z
Atcovi
276019
/* Research */
2805662
wikitext
text/x-wiki
== Research ==
=== [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12888-020-02877-6 Jiang, W., Hu, G., Zhang, J. ''et al.'' Distinct effects of over-general autobiographical memory on suicidal ideation among depressed and healthy people. ''BMC Psychiatry'' '''20''', 501 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02877-6] ===
'''Background'''
* Mentions [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6053985/ the integrated motivational–volitional model of suicidal behaviour] by O'Conner<ref>The '''integrated motivational-volitional (IMV) model of suicidal behavior''', dividing it into three phases: pre-motivational, motivational, and volitional. Firstly, the pre-motivational phase is composed of diathesis, environment, and life events, describing the background factors and triggering events. Secondly, the motivational phase focuses on the psychological processes of suicidal ideation and intent. Finally, the volitional phase governs the transition from suicidal ideation to suicide attempts.</ref>.
* Mentions number of studies associating OGM with suicide: "''...it could be inferred that OGM mediates the suicidal process by preventing the individuals from solving problems and envisioning the future by searching in the past experience, thereby creating a feeling of hopelessness and helplessness.''"
* [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352250X21000129 MeST] ↑ generalization of autobiographical memory ↓
* '''Research question(s)?''' No clear evidence to show how childhood trauma & OGM interact in the suicidal process and whether depression is a ''moderating'' effect.
* '''Hypothesis?''' OGM has different effects on the suicide process in depression patients and healthy individuals.
* '''Purpose of study?''' Aimed to compare childhood trauma, OGM, suicidal ideation, and suicidal behavior between depression patients and healthy individuals, and explore the differences caused by depression in suicidal pathways.
'''Method'''
* '''356 Chinese participants'''.
** '''180 depressed participants''': (''n'' = 121) 67.2% of the depressed patients were depressed for more than a year.
** '''176 healthy individuals'''
'''Measures'''
* '''Depressive symptoms''': BDI-II [Beck Depression Inventory-II]; 21-item self-report survey that asses depression severity symptoms for past 2 weeks, using a four point Likert scale of 0-3.
* '''OGM''': OGMQ; 19-item self-report tool that assesses the specificity of autobiographical memory using a four-point Likert scale (1 = perfect math; 4 = not a match). Total scores range from 19-76, with higher the score, the more frequent general, non-specific memories come into play.
* '''Childhood trauma''': [CTQ-SF]; 28-item self-report survey measuring maltreatment and trauma experience before age 16 using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = never; 5 = always). The five subscales include sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect.
* '''Suicidal ideation''': [BSI-CV]; 19-item self-report questionnaire that evaluates the thoughts about life and death and the severity of SI, using a three-point scale of 0-2. Range: 0-38.
** If the score of item 4 or 5 is NOT 0, it indicates suicidal ideation.
** ↑ BSI-CV score ↑ SI
* '''PSB:''' ...or previous suicidal behavior; 4-point scale was used (0 = never, 1 = once; 2 = twice; 3 = more than twice). Question asked was: "how many times did you induce self-injury or suicidal behaviors, such as taking medicine or cutting your wrists in the past?".
'''Results'''
* Participants in the depression group reported significantly higher levels of depressive symptoms as compared to healthy individuals (t = 24.42, ''P'' < 0.001).
* In the depression group, the ratios of ''CSI'' (current suicidal ideation), ''WSI'' (worst-point suicidal ideation)'','' and ''PSB'' (past suicidal behavior) were much higher than those in the healthy group (''P'' < 0.001).
* In depression group, all the correlations between variables were significant except those between OGM and PSB. In the healthy group, childhood trauma was significantly correlated with suicidal ideations, OGM was significantly correlated with WSI and PSB, and WSI was significantly correlated with PSB and CSI.
'''Discussion'''
* [according to the author] appears to be the first study that connects CSI and WSI of depressed and healthy control groups with suicidal behavior, childhood trauma, and autobiographical memory together.
* '''Results?''' Suggests that SI and behavior od epression patients are significantly HIGHER than of healthy individuals. Background factors, such as childhood trauma, and the moderator of suicide, such as OGM, are more severe in depression patients.
** ONLY in depression patients, OGM significantly affects the CSI and acts an intermediary between childhood trauma and CSI.
** ...but NO significant effect of OGM on CSI in healthy individuals, indicating that OGM plays different roles in the emergence of suicidal ideation in different populations. <-- appears to be relevant only with other paired vulnerabilities (ex, trauma).
** OGM as a stable trait of depression was more severe in the depression group vs. healthy control.
** Childhood trauma & OGM were correlated with WSI, indicating that they are critical factors of SI in accordance with the IMV model.
** PSB was strongly correlated to WSI. WSI might be an independent predictor of follow-up suicidal ideation intensity.
** Another finding was that PSB was negatively correlated with CSI and less affected by WSI in the healthy group. One reason might be that most proportion of suicides in healthy people are impulsive attempts, which do not follow the depression-hopelessness path to suicidal behavior, with lower expectations of death and suicidal ideation.
* Improving the specificity of autobiographical memory may be an effective way to prevent suicidal ideation for depression. These could be achieved through life-review therapy & MeST, both geared towards recalling memories in detail.
* '''Limitations?''' Low sample size, cross-sectional study, suicide's complex nature makes it difficult to account for all possible biological and psychological factors.
* '''Conclusion?''' This study identified the different roles of OGM in the suicidal ideation of depressed and healthy people. In depression patients, it affects the CSI and WSI and mediates the CSI due to the effect of childhood trauma. In healthy people, it can only affect the WSI. As an adjustable risk factor, the autobiographical memory might be a target of intervention for suicidal ideation in depression patients. Since training in specific memory retrieval has been proven to be effective in depression, future studies should consider whether it can reduce the emergence of suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior.
=== Adolescent over-general memory, life events and mental health outcomes: Findings from a UK cohort ===
* '''Background''':
== Narratives? ==
== See also ==
* [[w:Overgeneral_autobiographical_memory|Overgeneral autobiographical memory (WP link)]]
== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}
t9kbsid4eavjk14dgkq84rqacd8440v
2805669
2805662
2026-04-20T19:06:32Z
Atcovi
276019
/* Jiang, W., Hu, G., Zhang, J. et al. Distinct effects of over-general autobiographical memory on suicidal ideation among depressed and healthy people. BMC Psychiatry 20, 501 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02877-6 */
2805669
wikitext
text/x-wiki
== Research ==
=== [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12888-020-02877-6 Jiang, W., Hu, G., Zhang, J. ''et al.'' Distinct effects of over-general autobiographical memory on suicidal ideation among depressed and healthy people. ''BMC Psychiatry'' '''20''', 501 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02877-6] ===
'''Background'''
* Mentions [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6053985/ the integrated motivational–volitional model of suicidal behaviour] by O'Conner<ref>The '''integrated motivational-volitional (IMV) model of suicidal behavior''', dividing it into three phases: pre-motivational, motivational, and volitional. Firstly, the pre-motivational phase is composed of diathesis, environment, and life events, describing the background factors and triggering events. Secondly, the motivational phase focuses on the psychological processes of suicidal ideation and intent. Finally, the volitional phase governs the transition from suicidal ideation to suicide attempts.</ref>.
* Mentions number of studies associating OGM with suicide: "''...it could be inferred that OGM mediates the suicidal process by preventing the individuals from solving problems and envisioning the future by searching in the past experience, thereby creating a feeling of hopelessness and helplessness.''"
* [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352250X21000129 MeST] ↑ generalization of autobiographical memory ↓
* '''Research question(s)?''' No clear evidence to show how childhood trauma & OGM interact in the suicidal process and whether depression is a ''moderating'' effect.
* '''Hypothesis?''' OGM has different effects on the suicide process in depression patients and healthy individuals.
* '''Purpose of study?''' Aimed to compare childhood trauma, OGM, suicidal ideation, and suicidal behavior between depression patients and healthy individuals, and explore the differences caused by depression in suicidal pathways.
'''Method'''
* '''356 Chinese participants'''.
** '''180 depressed participants''': (''n'' = 121) 67.2% of the depressed patients were depressed for more than a year.
** '''176 healthy individuals'''
'''Measures'''
* '''Depressive symptoms''': BDI-II [Beck Depression Inventory-II]; 21-item self-report survey that asses depression severity symptoms for past 2 weeks, using a four point Likert scale of 0-3.
* '''OGM''': OGMQ; 19-item self-report tool that assesses the specificity of autobiographical memory using a four-point Likert scale (1 = perfect math; 4 = not a match). Total scores range from 19-76, with higher the score, the more frequent general, non-specific memories come into play.
* '''Childhood trauma''': [CTQ-SF]; 28-item self-report survey measuring maltreatment and trauma experience before age 16 using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = never; 5 = always). The five subscales include sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect.
* '''Suicidal ideation''': [BSI-CV]; 19-item self-report questionnaire that evaluates the thoughts about life and death and the severity of SI, using a three-point scale of 0-2. Range: 0-38.
** If the score of item 4 or 5 is NOT 0, it indicates suicidal ideation.
** ↑ BSI-CV score ↑ SI
* '''PSB:''' ...or previous suicidal behavior; 4-point scale was used (0 = never, 1 = once; 2 = twice; 3 = more than twice). Question asked was: "how many times did you induce self-injury or suicidal behaviors, such as taking medicine or cutting your wrists in the past?".
'''Results'''
* Trauma → OGM, WSI, CSI
* OGM → WSI + CSI
* WSI → CSI
* WSI → PSB
* PSB → CSI (reverse influence) [suggests '''impulsive attempts ≠ ideation pathway]'''
WSI is strongly predictive of:
* PSB
* future SI intensity
'''Discussion'''
# '''OGM''' = overgeneralized autobiographical memory, remembering things vaguley and not specifically.
# '''WSI''' = worst suicidal thoughts one has ever had [at a certain point].
# '''CSI''' = current point of suicidal ideation
* [according to the author] appears to be the first study that connects CSI and WSI of depressed and healthy control groups with suicidal behavior, childhood trauma, and autobiographical memory together.
* '''Results?''' Suggests that SI and behavior od epression patients are significantly HIGHER than of healthy individuals. Background factors, such as childhood trauma, and the moderator of suicide, such as OGM, are more severe in depression patients.
** ONLY in depression patients, OGM significantly affects the CSI and acts an intermediary between childhood trauma and CSI.
** ...but NO significant effect of OGM on CSI in healthy individuals, ''indicating that OGM plays different roles in the emergence of suicidal ideation in different populations''. <-- appears to be relevant only with other paired vulnerabilities (ex, trauma).
** OGM as a stable trait of depression was more severe in the depression group vs. healthy control.
** Childhood trauma & OGM were correlated with WSI, indicating that they are critical factors of SI in accordance with the IMV model.
** PSB was strongly correlated to WSI. WSI might be an independent predictor of follow-up suicidal ideation intensity.
** Another finding was that PSB was negatively correlated with CSI and less affected by WSI in the healthy group. One reason might be that most proportion of suicides in healthy people are impulsive attempts, which do not follow the depression-hopelessness path to suicidal behavior, with lower expectations of death and suicidal ideation.
** OGM + WSI mediated '''70.28% of the total effect''' between trauma and CSI [impact of trauma on CSI does not happen ''directly'', but through OGM (messes up memory style) & WSI (makes past suicidal thoughts worse)], while 30% of it is direct between trauma and current suicidal ideation.
* Improving the specificity of autobiographical memory may be an effective way to prevent suicidal ideation for depression. These could be achieved through life-review therapy & MeST, both geared towards recalling memories in detail.
* '''Limitations?''' Low sample size, cross-sectional study, suicide's complex nature makes it difficult to account for all possible biological and psychological factors.
* '''Conclusion?''' This study identified the different roles of OGM in the suicidal ideation of depressed and healthy people. In depression patients, it affects the CSI and WSI and mediates the CSI due to the effect of childhood trauma. In healthy people, it can only affect the WSI. As an adjustable risk factor, the autobiographical memory might be a target of intervention for suicidal ideation in depression patients. Since training in specific memory retrieval has been proven to be effective in depression, future studies should consider whether it can reduce the emergence of suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior.
== Narratives? ==
== See also ==
* [[w:Overgeneral_autobiographical_memory|Overgeneral autobiographical memory (WP link)]]
== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}
goro5z3ndatf7sy57z9bfeildhfld2j
2805673
2805669
2026-04-20T19:20:55Z
Atcovi
276019
/* Research */
2805673
wikitext
text/x-wiki
== Research ==
=== [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12888-020-02877-6 Jiang, W., Hu, G., Zhang, J. ''et al.'' Distinct effects of over-general autobiographical memory on suicidal ideation among depressed and healthy people. ''BMC Psychiatry'' '''20''', 501 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02877-6] ===
'''Background'''
* Mentions [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6053985/ the integrated motivational–volitional model of suicidal behaviour] by O'Conner<ref>The '''integrated motivational-volitional (IMV) model of suicidal behavior''', dividing it into three phases: pre-motivational, motivational, and volitional. Firstly, the pre-motivational phase is composed of diathesis, environment, and life events, describing the background factors and triggering events. Secondly, the motivational phase focuses on the psychological processes of suicidal ideation and intent. Finally, the volitional phase governs the transition from suicidal ideation to suicide attempts.</ref>.
* Mentions number of studies associating OGM with suicide: "''...it could be inferred that OGM mediates the suicidal process by preventing the individuals from solving problems and envisioning the future by searching in the past experience, thereby creating a feeling of hopelessness and helplessness.''"
* [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352250X21000129 MeST] ↑ generalization of autobiographical memory ↓
* '''Research question(s)?''' No clear evidence to show how childhood trauma & OGM interact in the suicidal process and whether depression is a ''moderating'' effect.
* '''Hypothesis?''' OGM has different effects on the suicide process in depression patients and healthy individuals.
* '''Purpose of study?''' Aimed to compare childhood trauma, OGM, suicidal ideation, and suicidal behavior between depression patients and healthy individuals, and explore the differences caused by depression in suicidal pathways.
'''Method'''
* '''356 Chinese participants'''.
** '''180 depressed participants''': (''n'' = 121) 67.2% of the depressed patients were depressed for more than a year.
** '''176 healthy individuals'''
'''Measures'''
* '''Depressive symptoms''': BDI-II [Beck Depression Inventory-II]; 21-item self-report survey that asses depression severity symptoms for past 2 weeks, using a four point Likert scale of 0-3.
* '''OGM''': OGMQ; 19-item self-report tool that assesses the specificity of autobiographical memory using a four-point Likert scale (1 = perfect math; 4 = not a match). Total scores range from 19-76, with higher the score, the more frequent general, non-specific memories come into play.
* '''Childhood trauma''': [CTQ-SF]; 28-item self-report survey measuring maltreatment and trauma experience before age 16 using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = never; 5 = always). The five subscales include sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect.
* '''Suicidal ideation''': [BSI-CV]; 19-item self-report questionnaire that evaluates the thoughts about life and death and the severity of SI, using a three-point scale of 0-2. Range: 0-38.
** If the score of item 4 or 5 is NOT 0, it indicates suicidal ideation.
** ↑ BSI-CV score ↑ SI
* '''PSB:''' ...or previous suicidal behavior; 4-point scale was used (0 = never, 1 = once; 2 = twice; 3 = more than twice). Question asked was: "how many times did you induce self-injury or suicidal behaviors, such as taking medicine or cutting your wrists in the past?".
'''Results'''
* Trauma → OGM, WSI, CSI
* OGM → WSI + CSI
* WSI → CSI
* WSI → PSB
* PSB → CSI (reverse influence) [suggests '''impulsive attempts ≠ ideation pathway]'''
WSI is strongly predictive of:
* PSB
* future SI intensity
'''Discussion'''
# '''OGM''' = overgeneralized autobiographical memory, remembering things vaguley and not specifically.
# '''WSI''' = worst suicidal thoughts one has ever had [at a certain point].
# '''CSI''' = current point of suicidal ideation
* [according to the author] appears to be the first study that connects CSI and WSI of depressed and healthy control groups with suicidal behavior, childhood trauma, and autobiographical memory together.
* '''Results?''' Suggests that SI and behavior od epression patients are significantly HIGHER than of healthy individuals. Background factors, such as childhood trauma, and the moderator of suicide, such as OGM, are more severe in depression patients.
** ONLY in depression patients, OGM significantly affects the CSI and acts an intermediary between childhood trauma and CSI.
** ...but NO significant effect of OGM on CSI in healthy individuals, ''indicating that OGM plays different roles in the emergence of suicidal ideation in different populations''. <-- appears to be relevant only with other paired vulnerabilities (ex, trauma).
** OGM as a stable trait of depression was more severe in the depression group vs. healthy control.
** Childhood trauma & OGM were correlated with WSI, indicating that they are critical factors of SI in accordance with the IMV model.
** PSB was strongly correlated to WSI. WSI might be an independent predictor of follow-up suicidal ideation intensity.
** Another finding was that PSB was negatively correlated with CSI and less affected by WSI in the healthy group. One reason might be that most proportion of suicides in healthy people are impulsive attempts, which do not follow the depression-hopelessness path to suicidal behavior, with lower expectations of death and suicidal ideation.
** OGM + WSI mediated '''70.28% of the total effect''' between trauma and CSI [impact of trauma on CSI does not happen ''directly'', but through OGM (messes up memory style) & WSI (makes past suicidal thoughts worse)], while 30% of it is direct between trauma and current suicidal ideation.
* Improving the specificity of autobiographical memory may be an effective way to prevent suicidal ideation for depression. These could be achieved through life-review therapy & MeST, both geared towards recalling memories in detail.
* '''Limitations?''' Low sample size, cross-sectional study, suicide's complex nature makes it difficult to account for all possible biological and psychological factors.
* '''Conclusion?''' This study identified the different roles of OGM in the suicidal ideation of depressed and healthy people. In depression patients, it affects the CSI and WSI and mediates the CSI due to the effect of childhood trauma. In healthy people, it can only affect the WSI. As an adjustable risk factor, the autobiographical memory might be a target of intervention for suicidal ideation in depression patients. Since training in specific memory retrieval has been proven to be effective in depression, future studies should consider whether it can reduce the emergence of suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior.
=== [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4743605/pdf/pmem-24-348.pdf Adolescent over-general memory, life events and mental health outcomes: Findings from a UK cohort] ===
'''Background'''
*
== Narratives? ==
== See also ==
* [[w:Overgeneral_autobiographical_memory|Overgeneral autobiographical memory (WP link)]]
== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}
hagzneguaqlzr0vuia0o9wqs070v47h
2805715
2805673
2026-04-20T21:35:13Z
Atcovi
276019
/* Adolescent over-general memory, life events and mental health outcomes: Findings from a UK cohort */
2805715
wikitext
text/x-wiki
== Research ==
=== [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12888-020-02877-6 Jiang, W., Hu, G., Zhang, J. ''et al.'' Distinct effects of over-general autobiographical memory on suicidal ideation among depressed and healthy people. ''BMC Psychiatry'' '''20''', 501 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02877-6] ===
'''Background'''
* Mentions [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6053985/ the integrated motivational–volitional model of suicidal behaviour] by O'Conner<ref>The '''integrated motivational-volitional (IMV) model of suicidal behavior''', dividing it into three phases: pre-motivational, motivational, and volitional. Firstly, the pre-motivational phase is composed of diathesis, environment, and life events, describing the background factors and triggering events. Secondly, the motivational phase focuses on the psychological processes of suicidal ideation and intent. Finally, the volitional phase governs the transition from suicidal ideation to suicide attempts.</ref>.
* Mentions number of studies associating OGM with suicide: "''...it could be inferred that OGM mediates the suicidal process by preventing the individuals from solving problems and envisioning the future by searching in the past experience, thereby creating a feeling of hopelessness and helplessness.''"
* [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352250X21000129 MeST] ↑ generalization of autobiographical memory ↓
* '''Research question(s)?''' No clear evidence to show how childhood trauma & OGM interact in the suicidal process and whether depression is a ''moderating'' effect.
* '''Hypothesis?''' OGM has different effects on the suicide process in depression patients and healthy individuals.
* '''Purpose of study?''' Aimed to compare childhood trauma, OGM, suicidal ideation, and suicidal behavior between depression patients and healthy individuals, and explore the differences caused by depression in suicidal pathways.
'''Method'''
* '''356 Chinese participants'''.
** '''180 depressed participants''': (''n'' = 121) 67.2% of the depressed patients were depressed for more than a year.
** '''176 healthy individuals'''
'''Measures'''
* '''Depressive symptoms''': BDI-II [Beck Depression Inventory-II]; 21-item self-report survey that asses depression severity symptoms for past 2 weeks, using a four point Likert scale of 0-3.
* '''OGM''': OGMQ; 19-item self-report tool that assesses the specificity of autobiographical memory using a four-point Likert scale (1 = perfect math; 4 = not a match). Total scores range from 19-76, with higher the score, the more frequent general, non-specific memories come into play.
* '''Childhood trauma''': [CTQ-SF]; 28-item self-report survey measuring maltreatment and trauma experience before age 16 using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = never; 5 = always). The five subscales include sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect.
* '''Suicidal ideation''': [BSI-CV]; 19-item self-report questionnaire that evaluates the thoughts about life and death and the severity of SI, using a three-point scale of 0-2. Range: 0-38.
** If the score of item 4 or 5 is NOT 0, it indicates suicidal ideation.
** ↑ BSI-CV score ↑ SI
* '''PSB:''' ...or previous suicidal behavior; 4-point scale was used (0 = never, 1 = once; 2 = twice; 3 = more than twice). Question asked was: "how many times did you induce self-injury or suicidal behaviors, such as taking medicine or cutting your wrists in the past?".
'''Results'''
* Trauma → OGM, WSI, CSI
* OGM → WSI + CSI
* WSI → CSI
* WSI → PSB
* PSB → CSI (reverse influence) [suggests '''impulsive attempts ≠ ideation pathway]'''
WSI is strongly predictive of:
* PSB
* future SI intensity
'''Discussion'''
# '''OGM''' = overgeneralized autobiographical memory, remembering things vaguley and not specifically.
# '''WSI''' = worst suicidal thoughts one has ever had [at a certain point].
# '''CSI''' = current point of suicidal ideation
* [according to the author] appears to be the first study that connects CSI and WSI of depressed and healthy control groups with suicidal behavior, childhood trauma, and autobiographical memory together.
* '''Results?''' Suggests that SI and behavior od epression patients are significantly HIGHER than of healthy individuals. Background factors, such as childhood trauma, and the moderator of suicide, such as OGM, are more severe in depression patients.
** ONLY in depression patients, OGM significantly affects the CSI and acts an intermediary between childhood trauma and CSI.
** ...but NO significant effect of OGM on CSI in healthy individuals, ''indicating that OGM plays different roles in the emergence of suicidal ideation in different populations''. <-- appears to be relevant only with other paired vulnerabilities (ex, trauma).
** OGM as a stable trait of depression was more severe in the depression group vs. healthy control.
** Childhood trauma & OGM were correlated with WSI, indicating that they are critical factors of SI in accordance with the IMV model.
** PSB was strongly correlated to WSI. WSI might be an independent predictor of follow-up suicidal ideation intensity.
** Another finding was that PSB was negatively correlated with CSI and less affected by WSI in the healthy group. One reason might be that most proportion of suicides in healthy people are impulsive attempts, which do not follow the depression-hopelessness path to suicidal behavior, with lower expectations of death and suicidal ideation.
** OGM + WSI mediated '''70.28% of the total effect''' between trauma and CSI [impact of trauma on CSI does not happen ''directly'', but through OGM (messes up memory style) & WSI (makes past suicidal thoughts worse)], while 30% of it is direct between trauma and current suicidal ideation.
* Improving the specificity of autobiographical memory may be an effective way to prevent suicidal ideation for depression. These could be achieved through life-review therapy & MeST, both geared towards recalling memories in detail.
* '''Limitations?''' Low sample size, cross-sectional study, suicide's complex nature makes it difficult to account for all possible biological and psychological factors.
* '''Conclusion?''' This study identified the different roles of OGM in the suicidal ideation of depressed and healthy people. In depression patients, it affects the CSI and WSI and mediates the CSI due to the effect of childhood trauma. In healthy people, it can only affect the WSI. As an adjustable risk factor, the autobiographical memory might be a target of intervention for suicidal ideation in depression patients. Since training in specific memory retrieval has been proven to be effective in depression, future studies should consider whether it can reduce the emergence of suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior.
=== [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4743605/pdf/pmem-24-348.pdf Adolescent over-general memory, life events and mental health outcomes: Findings from a UK cohort] ===
Crane et al. (2016) – Community adolescent cohort
* Large UK longitudinal study (n≈5800 adolescents; ages 13 → 16)
* Tested whether OGM predicts depression/suicidality and moderates life stress
* '''Findings:'''
** OGM did not predict depression, suicidal ideation, or self-harm
** OGM did not moderate the effect of life events
** Life events strongly predicted all outcomes
* '''Interpretation:'''
** OGM may not function as a general vulnerability factor in community samples
** Likely only relevant in high-risk or depressed populations
=== Sumner et al. (2010) – Meta-analysis (OGM & depression) ===
* Meta-analysis of '''15 studies''' examining whether OGM predicts the course of depression
* '''Findings:'''
** Higher OGM (fewer specific memories) → higher depressive symptoms at follow-up
** Effect remains '''even after controlling for baseline depression'''
** Overall effect size is '''small but significant (~1–2% variance explained)'''
* '''Moderators:'''
** Stronger effect in '''clinically depressed samples vs nonclinical'''
** Stronger with '''shorter follow-up periods'''
* '''Interpretation:'''
** OGM is a '''predictor of depression maintenance''', not just a correlate
** Likely acts as a '''vulnerability factor''', especially in high-risk groups
{{Notice|OGM works under certain conditions (clinical / high-risk), not universally}}
=== Moore & Zoellner (2007) – Evaluative Review (OGM & trauma) ===
* Evaluative review of '''24 studies''' examining trauma exposure and OGM
* '''Core question:''' Does trauma cause overgeneral memory?
=== Findings: ===
* ❌ '''No consistent link''' between trauma exposure and OGM
* ✅ OGM is more consistently linked to:
** '''Depression'''
** '''PTSD symptoms (intrusions, avoidance)'''
* Trauma exposure alone is '''not sufficient''' to produce OGM
* OGM appears more tied to '''psychopathology''', not the event itself
=== Key nuance: ===
* Post-trauma '''symptoms''' (not the trauma itself) are what matter
* Evidence across studies is '''mixed and methodologically inconsistent'''
=== Interpretation: ===
* Challenges the classic “trauma → OGM” theory
* Supports alternative view:<blockquote>OGM = cognitive feature of clinical disorders (e.g., MDD, PTSD)</blockquote>
== Narratives? ==
== See also ==
* [[w:Overgeneral_autobiographical_memory|Overgeneral autobiographical memory (WP link)]]
== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}
sot9l4vnr7pb3u8ockv59t3qdek7lio
2805716
2805715
2026-04-20T21:36:07Z
Atcovi
276019
/* Moore & Zoellner (2007) – Evaluative Review (OGM & trauma) */
2805716
wikitext
text/x-wiki
== Research ==
=== [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12888-020-02877-6 Jiang, W., Hu, G., Zhang, J. ''et al.'' Distinct effects of over-general autobiographical memory on suicidal ideation among depressed and healthy people. ''BMC Psychiatry'' '''20''', 501 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02877-6] ===
'''Background'''
* Mentions [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6053985/ the integrated motivational–volitional model of suicidal behaviour] by O'Conner<ref>The '''integrated motivational-volitional (IMV) model of suicidal behavior''', dividing it into three phases: pre-motivational, motivational, and volitional. Firstly, the pre-motivational phase is composed of diathesis, environment, and life events, describing the background factors and triggering events. Secondly, the motivational phase focuses on the psychological processes of suicidal ideation and intent. Finally, the volitional phase governs the transition from suicidal ideation to suicide attempts.</ref>.
* Mentions number of studies associating OGM with suicide: "''...it could be inferred that OGM mediates the suicidal process by preventing the individuals from solving problems and envisioning the future by searching in the past experience, thereby creating a feeling of hopelessness and helplessness.''"
* [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352250X21000129 MeST] ↑ generalization of autobiographical memory ↓
* '''Research question(s)?''' No clear evidence to show how childhood trauma & OGM interact in the suicidal process and whether depression is a ''moderating'' effect.
* '''Hypothesis?''' OGM has different effects on the suicide process in depression patients and healthy individuals.
* '''Purpose of study?''' Aimed to compare childhood trauma, OGM, suicidal ideation, and suicidal behavior between depression patients and healthy individuals, and explore the differences caused by depression in suicidal pathways.
'''Method'''
* '''356 Chinese participants'''.
** '''180 depressed participants''': (''n'' = 121) 67.2% of the depressed patients were depressed for more than a year.
** '''176 healthy individuals'''
'''Measures'''
* '''Depressive symptoms''': BDI-II [Beck Depression Inventory-II]; 21-item self-report survey that asses depression severity symptoms for past 2 weeks, using a four point Likert scale of 0-3.
* '''OGM''': OGMQ; 19-item self-report tool that assesses the specificity of autobiographical memory using a four-point Likert scale (1 = perfect math; 4 = not a match). Total scores range from 19-76, with higher the score, the more frequent general, non-specific memories come into play.
* '''Childhood trauma''': [CTQ-SF]; 28-item self-report survey measuring maltreatment and trauma experience before age 16 using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = never; 5 = always). The five subscales include sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect.
* '''Suicidal ideation''': [BSI-CV]; 19-item self-report questionnaire that evaluates the thoughts about life and death and the severity of SI, using a three-point scale of 0-2. Range: 0-38.
** If the score of item 4 or 5 is NOT 0, it indicates suicidal ideation.
** ↑ BSI-CV score ↑ SI
* '''PSB:''' ...or previous suicidal behavior; 4-point scale was used (0 = never, 1 = once; 2 = twice; 3 = more than twice). Question asked was: "how many times did you induce self-injury or suicidal behaviors, such as taking medicine or cutting your wrists in the past?".
'''Results'''
* Trauma → OGM, WSI, CSI
* OGM → WSI + CSI
* WSI → CSI
* WSI → PSB
* PSB → CSI (reverse influence) [suggests '''impulsive attempts ≠ ideation pathway]'''
WSI is strongly predictive of:
* PSB
* future SI intensity
'''Discussion'''
# '''OGM''' = overgeneralized autobiographical memory, remembering things vaguley and not specifically.
# '''WSI''' = worst suicidal thoughts one has ever had [at a certain point].
# '''CSI''' = current point of suicidal ideation
* [according to the author] appears to be the first study that connects CSI and WSI of depressed and healthy control groups with suicidal behavior, childhood trauma, and autobiographical memory together.
* '''Results?''' Suggests that SI and behavior od epression patients are significantly HIGHER than of healthy individuals. Background factors, such as childhood trauma, and the moderator of suicide, such as OGM, are more severe in depression patients.
** ONLY in depression patients, OGM significantly affects the CSI and acts an intermediary between childhood trauma and CSI.
** ...but NO significant effect of OGM on CSI in healthy individuals, ''indicating that OGM plays different roles in the emergence of suicidal ideation in different populations''. <-- appears to be relevant only with other paired vulnerabilities (ex, trauma).
** OGM as a stable trait of depression was more severe in the depression group vs. healthy control.
** Childhood trauma & OGM were correlated with WSI, indicating that they are critical factors of SI in accordance with the IMV model.
** PSB was strongly correlated to WSI. WSI might be an independent predictor of follow-up suicidal ideation intensity.
** Another finding was that PSB was negatively correlated with CSI and less affected by WSI in the healthy group. One reason might be that most proportion of suicides in healthy people are impulsive attempts, which do not follow the depression-hopelessness path to suicidal behavior, with lower expectations of death and suicidal ideation.
** OGM + WSI mediated '''70.28% of the total effect''' between trauma and CSI [impact of trauma on CSI does not happen ''directly'', but through OGM (messes up memory style) & WSI (makes past suicidal thoughts worse)], while 30% of it is direct between trauma and current suicidal ideation.
* Improving the specificity of autobiographical memory may be an effective way to prevent suicidal ideation for depression. These could be achieved through life-review therapy & MeST, both geared towards recalling memories in detail.
* '''Limitations?''' Low sample size, cross-sectional study, suicide's complex nature makes it difficult to account for all possible biological and psychological factors.
* '''Conclusion?''' This study identified the different roles of OGM in the suicidal ideation of depressed and healthy people. In depression patients, it affects the CSI and WSI and mediates the CSI due to the effect of childhood trauma. In healthy people, it can only affect the WSI. As an adjustable risk factor, the autobiographical memory might be a target of intervention for suicidal ideation in depression patients. Since training in specific memory retrieval has been proven to be effective in depression, future studies should consider whether it can reduce the emergence of suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior.
=== [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4743605/pdf/pmem-24-348.pdf Adolescent over-general memory, life events and mental health outcomes: Findings from a UK cohort] ===
Crane et al. (2016) – Community adolescent cohort
* Large UK longitudinal study (n≈5800 adolescents; ages 13 → 16)
* Tested whether OGM predicts depression/suicidality and moderates life stress
* '''Findings:'''
** OGM did not predict depression, suicidal ideation, or self-harm
** OGM did not moderate the effect of life events
** Life events strongly predicted all outcomes
* '''Interpretation:'''
** OGM may not function as a general vulnerability factor in community samples
** Likely only relevant in high-risk or depressed populations
=== Sumner et al. (2010) – Meta-analysis (OGM & depression) ===
* Meta-analysis of '''15 studies''' examining whether OGM predicts the course of depression
* '''Findings:'''
** Higher OGM (fewer specific memories) → higher depressive symptoms at follow-up
** Effect remains '''even after controlling for baseline depression'''
** Overall effect size is '''small but significant (~1–2% variance explained)'''
* '''Moderators:'''
** Stronger effect in '''clinically depressed samples vs nonclinical'''
** Stronger with '''shorter follow-up periods'''
* '''Interpretation:'''
** OGM is a '''predictor of depression maintenance''', not just a correlate
** Likely acts as a '''vulnerability factor''', especially in high-risk groups
{{Notice|OGM works under certain conditions (clinical / high-risk), not universally}}
=== Moore & Zoellner (2007) – Evaluative Review (OGM & trauma) ===
* Evaluative review of '''24 studies''' examining trauma exposure and OGM
* '''Core question:''' Does trauma cause overgeneral memory?
=== Findings: ===
* ❌ '''No consistent link''' between trauma exposure and OGM
* ✅ OGM is more consistently linked to:
** '''Depression'''
** '''PTSD symptoms (intrusions, avoidance)'''
* Trauma exposure alone is '''not sufficient''' to produce OGM
* OGM appears more tied to '''psychopathology''', not the event itself
=== Key nuance: ===
* Post-trauma '''symptoms''' (not the trauma itself) are what matter
* Evidence across studies is '''mixed and methodologically inconsistent'''
=== Interpretation: ===
* Challenges the classic “trauma → OGM” theory
* Supports alternative view:<blockquote>OGM = cognitive feature of clinical disorders (e.g., MDD, PTSD)</blockquote>
*Trauma alone isn’t enough — psychological response matters
== Narratives? ==
== See also ==
* [[w:Overgeneral_autobiographical_memory|Overgeneral autobiographical memory (WP link)]]
== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}
a0a580bc97cwlpyxe0n2097z6n55v64
User:Juandev/R/Compression stocking
2
329166
2805674
2805522
2026-04-20T19:23:59Z
Juandev
2651
/* Generic questions */ update
2805674
wikitext
text/x-wiki
{{contrib-creator}}
{{User:Juandev/T/QA AI contribution}}
{{medicine}}
{{non-formal education}}
{{research}}
== How does this course work? ==
This course is built on a question-and-answer format. Anyone can ask a question, and anyone can answer any question. It is for those interested in [[w:en:Compression stockings|Compression stocking]], for those who enjoy researching and solving problems. Answering the questions is up to you. Ask a question and then write an answer to it. You can find it in the literature, on YouTube, via LLM, or through your research (experiment). You can also answer other people's questions as part of the exercise. We would greatly appreciate it if you could attach free images and videos and upload them to Wikimedia Commons. This will help others better understand the problem.
== Questions ==
=== Generic questions ===
''These are questions when you can adequately name things and structure your answer.''
{| class="wikitable"
!No.
!Question
!Answer
!Visual explanation
!Notes
|-
|GQ.1
|What is a function of compression stocking?
|They create pressure on the veins under the skin, helping blood flow upwards. This works both by narrowing the vein diameter and by pressing the vein valves together, as the vein valves prevent blood from falling downwards.
|
|
|-
|GQ.2
|What are the degrees of compression of stockings?
|
# CCL 1 – common prevention for people who sit or stand for long periods of time.
# CCL 2 – for varicose veins, after surgeries.
# CCL 3 – for example, for extensive swelling or treatment of a leg ulcer
# CCL 4 – for extreme lymphedema.
|
|
|-
|GQ.3
|Why there are different levels of compression?
|
|
|
|-
|GQ.4
|What are the types of socks in terms of height and how are they marked?
|(''working'')
These classes are distinguished according to the RAL GZ-387 standard:
* AD – calf stocking, ends below the knee
* AF – mid-thigh stocking, ends mid-thigh. These stockings may ride down because the thigh is tapered, worked.
* AG – thigh-high stocking, ends below the crotch.
* AT – tights, reaching to the navel and covering both legs
* AG-G – one-leg stocking with waist strap
|
|
|-
|GQ.5
|How does the AG-G stocking look like?
|
|
|
|-
|GQ.6
|Which brands produce compression stockings for Europe?
|
* Medi<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.medi.de/en/products/compression-stockings/|title=Compression stockings by medi – modern and individual {{!}} medi|website=www.medi.de|language=en-DE|access-date=2026-04-19}}</ref> (Germany)
* Bauerfeind<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bauerfeind-group.com/en/products/compression-therapy/compression-stockings-vein-treatment-compression-therapy|title=One moment, please...|website=www.bauerfeind-group.com|language=en|access-date=2026-04-19}}</ref> (Germany)
* Sigvaris<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://origin-www.sigvaris.com/en-us/catalog/medical/varicose-veins|title=Varicose veins|website=origin-www.sigvaris.com|language=en|access-date=2026-04-19}}</ref> (Switzerland)
* Jobst<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jobst.cz/produkty/zdravotni-komprese.html|title=Zdravotní komprese|website=Jobst|language=cs|access-date=2026-04-19}}</ref> (Germany)
* Maxis<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.maxis-medica.cz/?sl=CZ|title=MAXIS a.s. - Zdravotní kompresivní punčochy, pažní návleky|website=www.maxis-medica.cz|access-date=2026-04-19}}</ref> (Medi, Czech Republic)
* Aries<ref>https://cz.aries.eu/avicenum_phlebo_cz.pdf</ref> (Czech Republic)
*
|
|
|-
|GQ.7
|After what time, or distance traveled, does a foot swell to the point where it is no longer good to measure it?
|Either immediately after waking up, or within one hour of regular exercise, but preferably within 30 minutes.
|
|
|-
|GQ.8
|And is it possible to let the night go by, for example, putting my legs above my head for 20 minutes?
|It can help, but it is not 100 % same as after waking up.
|
|
|-
|GQ.9
|Is it necessary to put on compression socks in the morning?
|Its the best, they could be put on later during the day, but even after few minutes with feet up, feet are still bigger so the stocking doesnt work so well as after waking up in the morning.
|
|
|-
|GQ.10
|Is it possible to swim with stockings?
|Yes, but their material is demaged especially in pools by chemical composition of the water.
|
|
|-
|GQ.11
|Does a sock that constricts more than a compression stocking affect leg constriction?
|This can be a problem for patients with varicose veins because blood pools under the constriction, putting more pressure on other blood vessels, which can then dilate.
|
|
|}
=== Personal problems ===
''Here are questions when you cannot correctly name things and describe them. Thus, it is necessary to include photographs, videos, or drawings to describe your problem visually.''
{| class="wikitable"
!No.
!Question
!Visual documentation
!Answer
!Visual explanation
!Notes
!Discussion
|-
|PP.1
|
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|-
|PP.2
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|PP.3
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|PP.4
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|PP.5
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|PP.6
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|PP.7
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|PP.8
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|PP.9
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|PP.10
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|PP.11
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|PP.12
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|PP.13
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|PP.14
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|PP.15
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|}
=== Related questions ===
''This includes questions that are not related to compression stockings, but related things.''
{| class="wikitable"
!No.
!Question
!Visual documentation
!Answer
!Notes
!Discussion
|-
|RQ.1
|Under what license is Gemini AI output?
|
|In the case of Gemini, services must be used in the European Union after careful consideration<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://policies.google.com/terms/generative-ai?hl=cs|title=Dodatečné smluvní podmínky generativní umělé inteligence|website=policies.google.com|access-date=2026-04-19}}</ref> and their originator must not be hidden.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://policies.google.com/terms/generative-ai/use-policy?hl=cs|title=Zásady zakázaného používání generativní umělé inteligence|website=policies.google.com|access-date=2026-04-19}}</ref>
|
|
|-
|RQ.2
|Where can I get a sock that doesn't constrict my foot but doesn't fall down?
|
|Try stretch socks for runners and cyclists.
|
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|-
|RQ.3
|
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|
|}
== References ==
<references />
ild97bhtpqlsle137apanswydcpiizk
2805738
2805674
2026-04-21T07:42:53Z
Juandev
2651
update, with help of Gemini ai
2805738
wikitext
text/x-wiki
{{contrib-creator}}
{{User:Juandev/T/QA AI contribution}}
{{medicine}}
{{non-formal education}}
{{research}}
== How does this course work? ==
This course is built on a question-and-answer format. Anyone can ask a question, and anyone can answer any question. It is for those interested in [[w:en:Compression stockings|Compression stocking]], for those who enjoy researching and solving problems. Answering the questions is up to you. Ask a question and then write an answer to it. You can find it in the literature, on YouTube, via LLM, or through your research (experiment). You can also answer other people's questions as part of the exercise. We would greatly appreciate it if you could attach free images and videos and upload them to Wikimedia Commons. This will help others better understand the problem.
== Questions ==
=== Generic questions ===
''These are questions when you can adequately name things and structure your answer.''
{| class="wikitable"
!No.
!Question
!Answer
!Visual explanation
!Notes
|-
|GQ.1
|What is a function of compression stocking?
|They create pressure on the veins under the skin, helping blood flow upwards. This works both by narrowing the vein diameter and by pressing the vein valves together, as the vein valves prevent blood from falling downwards.
|
|
|-
|GQ.2
|What are the degrees of compression of stockings?
|
# CCL 1 – common prevention for people who sit or stand for long periods of time.
# CCL 2 – for varicose veins, after surgeries.
# CCL 3 – for example, for extensive swelling or treatment of a leg ulcer
# CCL 4 – for extreme lymphedema.
|
|
|-
|GQ.3
|Why there are different levels of compression?
|
|
|
|-
|GQ.4
|What are the types of socks in terms of height and how are they marked?
|(''working'')
These classes are distinguished according to the RAL GZ-387 standard:
* AD – calf stocking, ends below the knee
* AF – mid-thigh stocking, ends mid-thigh. These stockings may ride down because the thigh is tapered, worked.
* AG – thigh-high stocking, ends below the crotch.
* AT – tights, reaching to the navel and covering both legs
* AG-G – one-leg stocking with waist strap
|
|
|-
|GQ.5
|How does the AG-G stocking look like?
|
|
|
|-
|GQ.6
|Which brands produce compression stockings for Europe?
|
* Medi<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.medi.de/en/products/compression-stockings/|title=Compression stockings by medi – modern and individual {{!}} medi|website=www.medi.de|language=en-DE|access-date=2026-04-19}}</ref> (Germany)
* Bauerfeind<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bauerfeind-group.com/en/products/compression-therapy/compression-stockings-vein-treatment-compression-therapy|title=One moment, please...|website=www.bauerfeind-group.com|language=en|access-date=2026-04-19}}</ref> (Germany)
* Sigvaris<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://origin-www.sigvaris.com/en-us/catalog/medical/varicose-veins|title=Varicose veins|website=origin-www.sigvaris.com|language=en|access-date=2026-04-19}}</ref> (Switzerland)
* Jobst<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jobst.cz/produkty/zdravotni-komprese.html|title=Zdravotní komprese|website=Jobst|language=cs|access-date=2026-04-19}}</ref> (Germany)
* Maxis<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.maxis-medica.cz/?sl=CZ|title=MAXIS a.s. - Zdravotní kompresivní punčochy, pažní návleky|website=www.maxis-medica.cz|access-date=2026-04-19}}</ref> (Medi, Czech Republic)
* Aries<ref>https://cz.aries.eu/avicenum_phlebo_cz.pdf</ref> (Czech Republic)
*
|
|
|-
|GQ.7
|After what time, or distance traveled, does a foot swell to the point where it is no longer good to measure it?
|Either immediately after waking up, or within one hour of regular exercise, but preferably within 30 minutes.
|
|
|-
|GQ.8
|And is it possible to let the night go by, for example, putting my legs above my head for 20 minutes?
|It can help, but it is not 100 % same as after waking up.
|
|
|-
|GQ.9
|Is it necessary to put on compression socks in the morning?
|Its the best, they could be put on later during the day, but even after few minutes with feet up, feet are still bigger so the stocking doesnt work so well as after waking up in the morning.
|
|
|-
|GQ.10
|Is it possible to swim with stockings?
|Yes, but their material is demaged especially in pools by chemical composition of the water.
|
|
|-
|GQ.11
|Does a sock that constricts more than a compression stocking affect leg constriction?
|This can be a problem for patients with varicose veins because blood pools under the constriction, putting more pressure on other blood vessels, which can then dilate.
|
|
|-
|GQ.12
|What circumferences are measured for AG stockings? Is it measured the same for all manufacturers?
|Each manufacturer requires a combination of different anatomical points, but they are generally standardized. It is therefore better to measure more than one and then make a selection. Ideally, measure the points:
* b – '''above ankle''', the most important measurement
* c – the widest point on the '''calf'''
* d – lust '''below the knee''' joint
* g – '''thigh''', specifically 5 cm below the crotch
|
|
|-
|GQ.13
|Is the leg measured for stockings lying down or standing up?
|Standing, without pressure and without straining the leg.
|
|
|-
|GQ.14
|Which circuits are most important for an AT sock?
|
|
|
|}
=== Personal problems ===
''Here are questions when you cannot correctly name things and describe them. Thus, it is necessary to include photographs, videos, or drawings to describe your problem visually.''
{| class="wikitable"
!No.
!Question
!Visual documentation
!Answer
!Visual explanation
!Notes
!Discussion
|-
|PP.1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|PP.2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|PP.3
|
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|
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|-
|PP.4
|
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|-
|PP.5
|
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|-
|PP.6
|
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|-
|PP.7
|
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|-
|PP.8
|
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|-
|PP.9
|
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|PP.10
|
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|PP.11
|
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|-
|PP.12
|
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|PP.13
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|PP.14
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|PP.15
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=== Related questions ===
''This includes questions that are not related to compression stockings, but related things.''
{| class="wikitable"
!No.
!Question
!Visual documentation
!Answer
!Notes
!Discussion
|-
|RQ.1
|Under what license is Gemini AI output?
|
|In the case of Gemini, services must be used in the European Union after careful consideration<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://policies.google.com/terms/generative-ai?hl=cs|title=Dodatečné smluvní podmínky generativní umělé inteligence|website=policies.google.com|access-date=2026-04-19}}</ref> and their originator must not be hidden.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://policies.google.com/terms/generative-ai/use-policy?hl=cs|title=Zásady zakázaného používání generativní umělé inteligence|website=policies.google.com|access-date=2026-04-19}}</ref>
|
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|RQ.2
|Where can I get a sock that doesn't constrict my foot but doesn't fall down?
|
|Try stretch socks for runners and cyclists.
|
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|RQ.3
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|}
== References ==
<references />
3efk0ktre60ebsdbc42j2vkgp2hxlfv
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Juandev
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/* Generic questions */ refs
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{{contrib-creator}}
{{User:Juandev/T/QA AI contribution}}
{{medicine}}
{{non-formal education}}
{{research}}
== How does this course work? ==
This course is built on a question-and-answer format. Anyone can ask a question, and anyone can answer any question. It is for those interested in [[w:en:Compression stockings|Compression stocking]], for those who enjoy researching and solving problems. Answering the questions is up to you. Ask a question and then write an answer to it. You can find it in the literature, on YouTube, via LLM, or through your research (experiment). You can also answer other people's questions as part of the exercise. We would greatly appreciate it if you could attach free images and videos and upload them to Wikimedia Commons. This will help others better understand the problem.
== Questions ==
=== Generic questions ===
''These are questions when you can adequately name things and structure your answer.''
{| class="wikitable"
!No.
!Question
!Answer
!Visual explanation
!Notes
|-
|GQ.1
|What is a function of compression stocking?
|They create pressure on the veins under the skin, helping blood flow upwards. This works both by narrowing the vein diameter and by pressing the vein valves together, as the vein valves prevent blood from falling downwards.
|
|
|-
|GQ.2
|What are the degrees of compression of stockings?
|
# CCL 1 – common prevention for people who sit or stand for long periods of time.
# CCL 2 – for varicose veins, after surgeries.
# CCL 3 – for example, for extensive swelling or treatment of a leg ulcer
# CCL 4 – for extreme lymphedema.
|
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|-
|GQ.3
|Why there are different levels of compression?
|
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|GQ.4
|What are the types of socks in terms of height and how are they marked?
|These classes are distinguished according to the RAL GZ-387 standard<ref>http://www.tagungsmanagement.org/icc/images/stories/PDF/ral_gz_387_englisch.pdf p. 13</ref>:
* AD – calf stocking, ends below the knee
* AF – mid-thigh stocking, ends mid-thigh. These stockings may ride down because the thigh is tapered, worked.
* AG – thigh-high stocking, ends below the crotch.
* AT – tights, reaching to the navel and covering both legs
* AG-G{{Citation needed}} – one-leg stocking with waist strap
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|GQ.5
|How does the AG-G stocking look like?
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|GQ.6
|Which brands produce compression stockings for Europe?
|
* Medi<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.medi.de/en/products/compression-stockings/|title=Compression stockings by medi – modern and individual {{!}} medi|website=www.medi.de|language=en-DE|access-date=2026-04-19}}</ref> (Germany)
* Bauerfeind<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bauerfeind-group.com/en/products/compression-therapy/compression-stockings-vein-treatment-compression-therapy|title=One moment, please...|website=www.bauerfeind-group.com|language=en|access-date=2026-04-19}}</ref> (Germany)
* Sigvaris<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://origin-www.sigvaris.com/en-us/catalog/medical/varicose-veins|title=Varicose veins|website=origin-www.sigvaris.com|language=en|access-date=2026-04-19}}</ref> (Switzerland)
* Jobst<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jobst.cz/produkty/zdravotni-komprese.html|title=Zdravotní komprese|website=Jobst|language=cs|access-date=2026-04-19}}</ref> (Germany)
* Maxis<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.maxis-medica.cz/?sl=CZ|title=MAXIS a.s. - Zdravotní kompresivní punčochy, pažní návleky|website=www.maxis-medica.cz|access-date=2026-04-19}}</ref> (Medi, Czech Republic)
* Aries<ref>https://cz.aries.eu/avicenum_phlebo_cz.pdf</ref> (Czech Republic)
*
|
|
|-
|GQ.7
|After what time, or distance traveled, does a foot swell to the point where it is no longer good to measure it?
|Either immediately after waking up, or within one hour of regular exercise, but preferably within 30 minutes.
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|-
|GQ.8
|And is it possible to let the night go by, for example, putting my legs above my head for 20 minutes?
|It can help, but it is not 100 % same as after waking up.
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|GQ.9
|Is it necessary to put on compression socks in the morning?
|Its the best, they could be put on later during the day, but even after few minutes with feet up, feet are still bigger so the stocking doesnt work so well as after waking up in the morning.
|
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|-
|GQ.10
|Is it possible to swim with stockings?
|Yes, but their material is demaged especially in pools by chemical composition of the water.
|
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|-
|GQ.11
|Does a sock that constricts more than a compression stocking affect leg constriction?
|This can be a problem for patients with varicose veins because blood pools under the constriction, putting more pressure on other blood vessels, which can then dilate.
|
|
|-
|GQ.12
|What circumferences are measured for AG stockings? Is it measured the same for all manufacturers?
|Each manufacturer requires a combination of different anatomical points, but they are generally standardized. It is therefore better to measure more than one and then make a selection. Ideally, measure the points:
* b – '''above ankle''', the most important measurement
* c – the widest point on the '''calf'''
* d – lust '''below the knee''' joint
* g – '''thigh''', specifically 5 cm below the crotch
|
|
|-
|GQ.13
|Is the leg measured for stockings lying down or standing up?
|Standing, without pressure and without straining the leg.
|
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|-
|GQ.14
|Which circuits are most important for an AT sock?
|
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|}
=== Personal problems ===
''Here are questions when you cannot correctly name things and describe them. Thus, it is necessary to include photographs, videos, or drawings to describe your problem visually.''
{| class="wikitable"
!No.
!Question
!Visual documentation
!Answer
!Visual explanation
!Notes
!Discussion
|-
|PP.1
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|PP.2
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|PP.3
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|PP.4
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|PP.5
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|PP.6
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|PP.7
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|PP.8
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|PP.9
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|PP.10
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|PP.11
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|PP.12
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|PP.13
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|PP.14
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|PP.15
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|}
=== Related questions ===
''This includes questions that are not related to compression stockings, but related things.''
{| class="wikitable"
!No.
!Question
!Visual documentation
!Answer
!Notes
!Discussion
|-
|RQ.1
|Under what license is Gemini AI output?
|
|In the case of Gemini, services must be used in the European Union after careful consideration<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://policies.google.com/terms/generative-ai?hl=cs|title=Dodatečné smluvní podmínky generativní umělé inteligence|website=policies.google.com|access-date=2026-04-19}}</ref> and their originator must not be hidden.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://policies.google.com/terms/generative-ai/use-policy?hl=cs|title=Zásady zakázaného používání generativní umělé inteligence|website=policies.google.com|access-date=2026-04-19}}</ref>
|
|
|-
|RQ.2
|Where can I get a sock that doesn't constrict my foot but doesn't fall down?
|
|Try stretch socks for runners and cyclists.
|
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|-
|RQ.3
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|}
== References ==
<references />
kcneml98d3126vy2k84hr75b0slia6j
User:ThinkingScience/ND Inspired Idea Notebook
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/* April 20, 2026 */ April 21
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Template Links:
* {{tl|Draft}}
* {{tl|underconstruction}}
'''On this page I plan to add daily notes regarding [[Draft:The Neurodiversity-inspired Idea]].'''
== "Diary" ==
== April 18, 2026 ==
A suggestion I got was that it may help the project if I provide some questions along with the idea. Also to make a main space where I gather info about my progress but that will probably be the draft itself if I move forward. Now if I write a "diary" that will be only regarding the project.
Turned "me language" into expressing that everyone is welcome, that I don't "own" [[Draft:The Neurodiversity-inspired Idea]]. Now everything that says "I did this" "I did that" should be gone. I think this was an improvement of some sort.
Plan for next edits on the draft page: Add an <nowiki>" == Old Methodology needing updating == "</nowiki> where I will add old methodologies where I had not planned ahead too good and the "Do no harm" I did not know about or could not focus on. That was before I created my own Draft that feels like it only happened some days ago.
Interaction I thought was an efficient method but how would methodology be modified today with what I know now and will know in the future?
== April 20, 2026 ==
Why does it seem like I'm the only one using the word "methodology"? Did the [[Wikiversity:Research ethics]] mention it?
* I cannot find it! I checked all infoboxes! It must have been generated and I probably never questioned it...until now.
== April 21, 2026 ==
I think I put a new subsection on the Draft space something that was related to developing my method/methodology into the "Do no harm". Considering I have almost not developed anything but I still gotta work on this...to do...
il94yioocurb56v4e11c4jjtdg81izq
File:VLSI.Arith.2A.CLA.20260420.pdf
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Young1lim
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{{Information
|Description=Carry Lookahead Adders 2A traditional (20260420 - 20260418)
|Source={{own|Young1lim}}
|Date=2026-04-20
|Author=Young W. Lim
|Permission={{self|GFDL|cc-by-sa-4.0,3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0}}
}}
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== Summary ==
{{Information
|Description=Carry Lookahead Adders 2A traditional (20260420 - 20260418)
|Source={{own|Young1lim}}
|Date=2026-04-20
|Author=Young W. Lim
|Permission={{self|GFDL|cc-by-sa-4.0,3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0}}
}}
== Licensing ==
{{self|GFDL|cc-by-sa-4.0,3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0}}
0d989qskb0wmim1agmdxrolaylf1fcu
File:C04.SA0.PtrOperator.1A.20260420.pdf
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Young1lim
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{{Information
|Description=C04.SA0: Address and Dereference Operators (20260420 - 20260418)
|Source={{own|Young1lim}}
|Date=2026-04-20
|Author=Young W. Lim
|Permission={{self|GFDL|cc-by-sa-4.0,3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0}}
}}
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== Summary ==
{{Information
|Description=C04.SA0: Address and Dereference Operators (20260420 - 20260418)
|Source={{own|Young1lim}}
|Date=2026-04-20
|Author=Young W. Lim
|Permission={{self|GFDL|cc-by-sa-4.0,3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0}}
}}
== Licensing ==
{{self|GFDL|cc-by-sa-4.0,3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0}}
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File:Laurent.5.Permutation.6C.20260420.pdf
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Young1lim
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|Source={{own|Young1lim}}
|Date=2026-04-20
|Author=Young W. Lim
|Permission={{self|GFDL|cc-by-sa-4.0,3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0}}
}}
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== Summary ==
{{Information
|Description=Laurent.5: Permutation 6C (20260420 - 20260418)
|Source={{own|Young1lim}}
|Date=2026-04-20
|Author=Young W. Lim
|Permission={{self|GFDL|cc-by-sa-4.0,3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0}}
}}
== Licensing ==
{{self|GFDL|cc-by-sa-4.0,3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0}}
036n4ehxi96iz8tbuq0blmj4bpdn0gy
Wikiversity:Temporary account IP viewer
4
329200
2805649
2026-04-20T15:33:23Z
Lionel Cristiano
2977639
+
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{{Soft redirect|m:Meta:Temporary account IP viewers|Meta:Temporary account IP viewers}}
qcj190kq41yombukdkvuc3ykm9n0on2
Wikiversity:Event organizers
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2805650
2026-04-20T15:34:13Z
Lionel Cristiano
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{{Soft redirect|m:Meta:Event organizers|Meta:Event organizers}}
9t12p4msiwr05rx7j0l6yqiu8xwh8h0
Talk:Complex Analysis/Power series
1
329202
2805652
2026-04-20T16:30:18Z
~2026-24373-69
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/* rows */ new section
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== rows ==
Probably "row" / "rows" should be "series"
potency / potencies may be power / powers
The "row" seems to be a bad translation from German or some language with terminology motivated by German, such as Czech. [[Special:Contributions/~2026-24373-69|~2026-24373-69]] ([[User talk:~2026-24373-69|talk]]) 16:30, 20 April 2026 (UTC)
3dp0bukt04fpenfweueeuhn5fa12i1a
User talk:Atcovi/OGM & Suicide
3
329203
2805654
2026-04-20T18:28:41Z
Atcovi
276019
/* Assistance */ new section
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== Assistance ==
🔥 What matters more than number (this is where you win or lose)
You’re not being judged on volume. You’re being judged on:
'''1. Conceptual clarity'''
<br>Can you clearly explain:<br>
<br>''Why OGM → suicidal ideation?''<br>
<br>Not just that it correlates<br>
'''2. Integration (THIS is your edge)'''
<br>Most people list findings<br>
You need to:
*Tie everything into CaR-FA-X
*Link to IMV / contemporary suicide models
'''3. Selectivity'''<br>
30 well-chosen papers > 80 random ones —[[User:Atcovi|Atcovi]] [[User talk:Atcovi|(Talk]] - [[Special:Contributions/Atcovi|Contribs)]] 18:28, 20 April 2026 (UTC)
gnz4zjt47ty6f98mhis64amn6g3dwld
WikiJournal of Science/Diffeology/XML
0
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Operating Systems (Hands-On)/Implementing a File System
0
329205
2805724
2026-04-21T01:35:20Z
Pngwen
3025274
Created page with "== Review: Where We Left Off == Last week we took a close look at the FAT32 filesystem, and then we set the stage for our own modest imitation of it with the Brittle File System. If you recall, FAT32 works essentially like a linked list on disk. You establish a chain of clusters in the cluster chain table, and the metadata for your files is spread throughout the whole filesystem. To find a file, you locate the directory entry to find where the file begins, then you foll..."
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== Review: Where We Left Off ==
Last week we took a close look at the FAT32 filesystem, and then we set the stage for our own modest imitation of it with the Brittle File System. If you recall, FAT32 works essentially like a linked list on disk. You establish a chain of clusters in the cluster chain table, and the metadata for your files is spread throughout the whole filesystem. To find a file, you locate the directory entry to find where the file begins, then you follow the chain through the cluster table until you hit the end-of-file marker.
As we discussed, that approach is a little brittle. Flip a bit here, lose a byte of the cluster table there, and you can lose large chunks of the filesystem in one shot — you might even end up with portions of the filesystem merging together in strange ways. There's a lot that can go wrong.
Most modern filesystems have moved away from that layout. Today we're going to look at a more contemporary approach — the way Linux does it, and in fact the way most serious filesystems do it. We're going to use '''ext3''' as our case study.
It's worth noting that the ideas we cover today aren't ext3-specific. NTFS does the same basic thing with slightly different terminology and a different volume layout. So does the macOS filesystem. The details differ, but the core concepts transfer cleanly.
== The Inode Concept ==
Inode-based filesystems work by maintaining a set of fixed-size structures called '''index nodes''', or '''inodes'''. The name is straightforward: the ''i'' stands for ''indexed''. These are indexed nodes.
Every file and every directory in the filesystem is represented by exactly one inode. Inodes are fixed in size — 128 bytes in ext3 — and they live at known, discrete locations on disk in a structure called the '''inode table'''. The inode table is nothing but a flat array of these things. When we say "file number 47," we mean the file whose inode sits at index 47 in that table.
This is a fundamentally different philosophy from FAT32. In FAT32, the metadata for a file is scattered across the disk — you have to follow the chain to understand the layout. In an inode system, as long as the inode itself is intact, you know exactly where every piece of the file lives. No chaining, no following along. And if an inode does get corrupted, the damage is contained to exactly one file. That's already a significant improvement in robustness.
One thing to note right away: '''the filename is not stored in the inode'''. This surprises people. The inode represents the file's data and most of its metadata, but the name belongs somewhere else. We'll come back to why in a moment.
**TODO: Inode concept overview diagram**
== ext3 Volume Layout ==
'''ext3''' stands for the Third Extended Filesystem. There was an Extended Filesystem, then ext2, then ext3, and — in a fit of wild creativity — ext4 followed. Most modern Linux installations use ext4, but the architecture is the same as what we're describing here, just with additional features layered on.
=== The Boot Block and Block Groups ===
The ext3 volume starts with a '''boot block'''. This is a concession to PC hardware, which has expected a boot block at the beginning of every volume going back to the DOS era. After that, the disk is divided into a series of '''block groups'''.
This subdivision is the key structural decision in ext3. Rather than treating the entire disk as one undifferentiated space, ext3 repeats a basic structure — the block group — over and over from the beginning of the disk to the end. Think of it as tiling the disk with identical units.
'''Block group 0''' contains the '''superblock'''. The superblock is the master record for the entire filesystem. It contains:
* '''Inode count''' — the total number of inodes in the filesystem
* '''Block count''' — the total number of blocks
* '''Block size''' — either 1 KB, 2 KB, or 4 KB; this is chosen at format time
* '''Inodes per group''' — how many inodes each block group holds
* '''Blocks per group''' — how many data blocks each block group holds
These are tunable parameters set when the filesystem is formatted. If you're going to store very large files, you might configure fewer block groups with larger blocks. If you're going to store millions of small files, you'd want more inodes per group. The user specifies their preferences at format time, and the system arranges the disk accordingly.
Block group 1 contains a backup copy of the superblock, as a hedge against corruption. After that, block groups continue to the end of the disk.
**TODO: ext3 volume layout diagram**
=== Inside a Block Group ===
Each block group has its own internal structure. In order, it contains:
* '''Superblock''' (backup, or the primary in block group 0)
* '''Group descriptor table''' — contains the block bitmap, inode bitmap, and a pointer to the inode table
* '''Block bitmap''' — one bit per data block; 1 means allocated, 0 means free
* '''Inode bitmap''' — one bit per inode; tracks which inodes are in use
* '''Inode table''' — the actual array of 128-byte inode records
* '''Data blocks''' — the bulk of the group; this is where file content and directory entries live
The data blocks are by far the largest segment. The bitmaps give us O(1) allocation decisions — finding a free block or a free inode is just a matter of scanning a bitmap for a zero bit.
One subtlety: you can't tell whether an inode is allocated or free just by looking at the inode itself. That's what the inode bitmap is for.
**TODO: ext3 block group layout diagram**
== The Inode Structure ==
So what's actually in an inode? Quite a bit:
* '''Mode''' — file permissions (read/write/execute for owner, group, others)
* '''User ID''' — who owns the file
* '''Group ID''' — the owning group (remember, UNIX has both user and group ownership)
* '''File size'''
* '''Access time, creation time, modification time, deletion time'''
* '''Link count''' — how many directory entries point to this inode
* '''Flags and OS-specific fields'''
* '''A table of 12 block pointers''' — direct pointers to data blocks
Notice again what's absent: the filename. The inode knows everything about the file's data and permissions, but it doesn't know what the file is called. That separation is intentional, and it's what enables features like hard links — two different names pointing to the same inode.
**TODO: Inode structure diagram**
=== Block Addressing: Direct and Indirect Pointers ===
Twelve direct block pointers sounds limiting, and it is. With 4 KB blocks (the most common size in modern filesystems), twelve direct pointers gives you 48 KB. That's not very big.
ext3 extends the addressable range with a hierarchy of indirection:
'''Single indirect pointer:''' Points to a block that contains nothing but block numbers. With 4-byte block numbers and 4 KB blocks, that's 1,024 entries. Single indirection gets you 1,024 × 4 KB = '''4 MB'''.
'''Double indirect pointer:''' Points to a block of indirect block pointers, each of which points to a block of data block numbers. That's 1,024 × 1,024 entries, giving you '''4 GB'''.
'''Triple indirect pointer:''' One more layer. 1,024 × 1,024 × 1,024 entries, for a theoretical maximum of '''4 TB'''.
Adding it all together:
* Direct: 48 KB
* Single indirect: 4 MB
* Double indirect: 4 GB
* Triple indirect: 4 TB
The practical limit for 32-bit block addressing is about 2 TB, and there are ext3 extensions that push further, but for most purposes this is more than sufficient.
Notice that this is a tree, not a chain. If a node in the middle of the tree gets corrupted, you lose access to that subtree — but other files are completely unaffected.
**TODO: Inode block pointer tree diagram**
== Directory Structure ==
So where do filenames live? In '''directory entries''', stored in the data blocks of directory inodes.
A directory in ext3 is just a file whose data blocks contain a sequence of directory records. Each record contains:
* '''Inode number''' — which inode this name refers to
* '''Record length''' (2 bytes) — how long this directory entry is
* '''Name length''' (1 byte)
* '''File type''' (1 byte) — regular file, directory, symbolic link, or unknown
* '''Name''' — variable length, name-length bytes long
The variable-length name is why ext3 supports long and short filenames without any wasted space — each record is exactly as long as it needs to be.
The special entries <code>.</code> and <code>..</code> are present in every directory, pointing to the directory itself and its parent respectively. These are ordinary directory records pointing to the appropriate inodes.
Hard links follow naturally from this structure: two directory records with different names but the same inode number. Both names refer to the same data, and the inode's link count reflects how many such references exist. A symbolic link, by contrast, points to a name — it's its own inode containing a path string.
**TODO: Directory entry structure diagram**
== Navigating the Filesystem: Path Resolution ==
Let's walk through what actually happens when the kernel needs to open <code>/photos/vacation.jpg</code>.
# '''Read inode 2''' — by convention, the root directory always lives at inode 2. This gives us a known starting point.
# '''Read the root directory's data blocks''' — scan the directory records for an entry named <code>photos</code>.
# If not found, return an error. If found, extract the inode number for <code>photos</code>.
# '''Read the photos directory inode''', then '''read its data blocks''' — scan for <code>vacation.jpg</code>.
# If not found, return an error. If found, extract the inode number.
# '''Read the vacation.jpg inode''' — now we have the file's permissions, size, and block layout.
# '''Read the data blocks''' — following the direct and indirect pointers as needed to retrieve the image data.
That's it. No following of chains across the whole disk, no fragmentation of the lookup process. Each step is bounded and predictable.
**TODO: Path resolution walkthrough diagram**
== Fragmentation and Anti-Fragmentation ==
You may have noticed that you never run a defragmenter on a Linux ext3 system, and you never need to. This isn't an accident.
Inode-based filesystems like ext3 include algorithms that actively work to prevent fragmentation during allocation. The block group structure is itself a mitigation strategy — by keeping a file's inodes and data blocks in the same block group, ext3 reduces the physical distance the disk head has to travel. The allocator tries to place new blocks near existing blocks for the same file.
ext4 (the successor) has a more sophisticated extent-based allocator, and dedicated anti-fragmentation tools like <code>e4defrag</code> exist for edge cases, but in normal operation you simply don't accumulate the fragmentation that FAT-based systems are prone to.
== Journaling ==
ext2 did not have journaling. ext3's headline feature over its predecessor was the addition of a '''journal''', which provides recovery from sudden shutdowns during disk writes.
The idea is straightforward: before writing changes to the filesystem proper, ext3 first writes a record of what it's about to do to the '''journal''' — a reserved area of the disk. Only after the journal entry is committed does it proceed with the actual filesystem write. Once the write completes successfully, the journal entry is cleared.
If the system crashes during this process:
* '''If the journal wasn't completed''' — on restart, the filesystem simply ignores the incomplete entry. The write never happened, and the filesystem is consistent.
* '''If the journal was completed but the main write wasn't''' — on restart, the journal is replayed, completing the interrupted operation.
Either way, the filesystem comes back up in a consistent state. This is what eliminated the need for <code>fsck</code> after every unclean shutdown.
ext3 offers three journaling modes — journal, ordered, and writeback — which differ in how aggressively they journal data blocks versus metadata. The details are worth understanding, but for our purposes the key insight is the write-ahead logging principle: ''record what you're going to do before you do it''.
For a concrete implementation of this idea, the xv6 reading is excellent. xv6 calls it ''logging'' rather than journaling, but it's the same concept, and the xv6 source is clean enough to follow step by step.
== ext3 vs. FAT32: The Trade-offs ==
Inode systems are more robust, don't fragment, and are easier to navigate. So why does FAT32 still exist?
The answer is overhead. When you format an ext3 volume, you pay the filesystem's cost up front. All those inodes have to be allocated immediately — you're typically giving up between 14% and 20% of your disk to filesystem structures before you store a single byte of user data. After that you're fine, but that initial cost is fixed.
More importantly, you set the maximum number of files at format time. If you want to store millions of small files, you need to have allocated millions of inodes. A filesystem formatted for large files can run out of inodes before it runs out of disk space.
FAT32, by contrast, sizes itself to whatever you put on it. The file allocation table grows as you add files. This makes FAT32 a better fit for removable media — think camera memory cards, where you might have hundreds of thousands of small image files and you want the filesystem to be as lean as possible.
For general-purpose long-term storage, inodes win. For small removable media with highly variable workloads, FAT's flexibility is genuinely useful.
== The xv6 Connection ==
We won't be implementing an inode filesystem from scratch — you've already got that experience from BFS, and the xv6 source gives you a production-quality implementation to study. As you work through the xv6 filesystem chapter this week, pay attention to how it handles:
* The on-disk layout and how it maps to what we've described here
* The logging (journaling) implementation
* The block cache and how it mediates between the filesystem and the disk
xv6 is small enough to read completely and large enough to be real. That's a rare combination.
== Summary ==
Inode systems represent a mature approach to filesystem design:
* '''Inodes''' are fixed-size index nodes, one per file or directory, stored in a flat table
* '''Metadata''' lives in the inode; '''names''' live in directory entries
* '''Block addressing''' uses a tree of direct and indirect pointers, scaling from 48 KB to several terabytes
* '''Block groups''' subdivide the disk for locality and manageability
* '''Journaling''' provides crash recovery via write-ahead logging
* '''Anti-fragmentation algorithms''' keep the disk tidy without manual intervention
The trade-off against FAT32 is real but usually favorable: you pay more overhead up front, but you get a more robust, faster, and self-maintaining filesystem in return.
qo7qnovgjwyl9zys8phkefylzphcf1z
2805725
2805724
2026-04-21T01:45:02Z
Pngwen
3025274
2805725
wikitext
text/x-wiki
== Objectives ==
# Explore the basic concepts of inode based filesystems.
# Look into some of the specific implementation details of the ext3 filesystem.
# Compare and contrast ext3 and FAT file systems.
== Reading ==
* [https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~remzi/OSTEP/file-implementation.pdf OSTEP Chapter 40 - File System Implementation]
* [https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~remzi/OSTEP/file-ffs.pdf OSTEP Chapter 41 - Fast File System]
* [https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~remzi/OSTEP/file-journaling.pdf OSTEP Chapter 42 - FSCK and Journaling]
* [https://pdos.csail.mit.edu/6.1810/2025/xv6/book-riscv-rev5.pdf xv6 Chapter 10 - File system]
== Review: Where We Left Off ==
Last week we took a close look at the FAT32 filesystem, and then we set the stage for our own modest imitation of it with the Brittle File System. If you recall, FAT32 works essentially like a linked list on disk. You establish a chain of clusters in the cluster chain table, and the metadata for your files is spread throughout the whole filesystem. To find a file, you locate the directory entry to find where the file begins, then you follow the chain through the cluster table until you hit the end-of-file marker.
As we discussed, that approach is a little brittle. Flip a bit here, lose a byte of the cluster table there, and you can lose large chunks of the filesystem in one shot — you might even end up with portions of the filesystem merging together in strange ways. There's a lot that can go wrong.
Most modern filesystems have moved away from that layout. Today we're going to look at a more contemporary approach — the way Linux does it, and in fact the way most serious filesystems do it. We're going to use '''ext3''' as our case study.
It's worth noting that the ideas we cover today aren't ext3-specific. NTFS does the same basic thing with slightly different terminology and a different volume layout. So does the macOS filesystem. The details differ, but the core concepts transfer cleanly.
== The Inode Concept ==
Inode-based filesystems work by maintaining a set of fixed-size structures called '''index nodes''', or '''inodes'''. The name is straightforward: the ''i'' stands for ''indexed''. These are indexed nodes.
Every file and every directory in the filesystem is represented by exactly one inode. Inodes are fixed in size — 128 bytes in ext3 — and they live at known, discrete locations on disk in a structure called the '''inode table'''. The inode table is nothing but a flat array of these things. When we say "file number 47," we mean the file whose inode sits at index 47 in that table.
This is a fundamentally different philosophy from FAT32. In FAT32, the metadata for a file is scattered across the disk — you have to follow the chain to understand the layout. In an inode system, as long as the inode itself is intact, you know exactly where every piece of the file lives. No chaining, no following along. And if an inode does get corrupted, the damage is contained to exactly one file. That's already a significant improvement in robustness.
One thing to note right away: '''the filename is not stored in the inode'''. This surprises people. The inode represents the file's data and most of its metadata, but the name belongs somewhere else. We'll come back to why in a moment.
== ext3 Volume Layout ==
[[File:Ext3 volume layout.svg|alt=Volume Layout|thumb|ext3 Volume Layout]]
'''ext3''' stands for the Third Extended Filesystem. There was an Extended Filesystem, then ext2, then ext3, and — in a fit of wild creativity — ext4 followed. Most modern Linux installations use ext4, but the architecture is the same as what we're describing here, just with additional features layered on.
=== The Boot Block and Block Groups ===
The ext3 volume starts with a '''boot block'''. This is a concession to PC hardware, which has expected a boot block at the beginning of every volume going back to the DOS era. After that, the disk is divided into a series of '''block groups'''.
This subdivision is the key structural decision in ext3. Rather than treating the entire disk as one undifferentiated space, ext3 repeats a basic structure — the block group — over and over from the beginning of the disk to the end. Think of it as tiling the disk with identical units.
'''Block group 0''' contains the '''superblock'''. The superblock is the master record for the entire filesystem. It contains:
* '''Inode count''' — the total number of inodes in the filesystem
* '''Block count''' — the total number of blocks
* '''Block size''' — either 1 KB, 2 KB, or 4 KB; this is chosen at format time
* '''Inodes per group''' — how many inodes each block group holds
* '''Blocks per group''' — how many data blocks each block group holds
These are tunable parameters set when the filesystem is formatted. If you're going to store very large files, you might configure fewer block groups with larger blocks. If you're going to store millions of small files, you'd want more inodes per group. The user specifies their preferences at format time, and the system arranges the disk accordingly.
Block group 1 contains a backup copy of the superblock, as a hedge against corruption. After that, block groups continue to the end of the disk.
=== Inside a Block Group ===
[[File:Ext3 block group.svg|alt=Block Group Structure|thumb|Internal structure of an ext3 block group.]]
Each block group has its own internal structure. In order, it contains:
* '''Superblock''' (backup, or the primary in block group 0)
* '''Group descriptor table''' — contains the block bitmap, inode bitmap, and a pointer to the inode table
* '''Block bitmap''' — one bit per data block; 1 means allocated, 0 means free
* '''Inode bitmap''' — one bit per inode; tracks which inodes are in use
* '''Inode table''' — the actual array of 128-byte inode records
* '''Data blocks''' — the bulk of the group; this is where file content and directory entries live
The data blocks are by far the largest segment. The bitmaps give us O(1) allocation decisions — finding a free block or a free inode is just a matter of scanning a bitmap for a zero bit.
One subtlety: you can't tell whether an inode is allocated or free just by looking at the inode itself. That's what the inode bitmap is for.
== The Inode Structure ==
[[File:Ext3 inode.svg|alt=Ext3 inode layout|thumb|Ext3 inode layout]]
So what's actually in an inode? Quite a bit:
* '''Mode''' — file permissions (read/write/execute for owner, group, others)
* '''User ID''' — who owns the file
* '''Group ID''' — the owning group (remember, UNIX has both user and group ownership)
* '''File size'''
* '''Access time, creation time, modification time, deletion time'''
* '''Link count''' — how many directory entries point to this inode
* '''Flags and OS-specific fields'''
* '''A table of 12 block pointers''' — direct pointers to data blocks
Notice again what's absent: the filename. The inode knows everything about the file's data and permissions, but it doesn't know what the file is called. That separation is intentional, and it's what enables features like hard links — two different names pointing to the same inode.
=== Block Addressing: Direct and Indirect Pointers ===
[[File:Ext3 block pointer tree.svg|alt=ext3 block pointer tree|thumb|Ext3 block pointer tree]]
Twelve direct block pointers sounds limiting, and it is. With 4 KB blocks (the most common size in modern filesystems), twelve direct pointers gives you 48 KB. That's not very big.
ext3 extends the addressable range with a hierarchy of indirection:
'''Single indirect pointer:''' Points to a block that contains nothing but block numbers. With 4-byte block numbers and 4 KB blocks, that's 1,024 entries. Single indirection gets you 1,024 × 4 KB = '''4 MB'''.
'''Double indirect pointer:''' Points to a block of indirect block pointers, each of which points to a block of data block numbers. That's 1,024 × 1,024 entries, giving you '''4 GB'''.
'''Triple indirect pointer:''' One more layer. 1,024 × 1,024 × 1,024 entries, for a theoretical maximum of '''4 TB'''.
Adding it all together:
* Direct: 48 KB
* Single indirect: 4 MB
* Double indirect: 4 GB
* Triple indirect: 4 TB
The practical limit for 32-bit block addressing is about 2 TB, and there are ext3 extensions that push further, but for most purposes this is more than sufficient.
Notice that this is a tree, not a chain. If a node in the middle of the tree gets corrupted, you lose access to that subtree — but other files are completely unaffected.
== Directory Structure ==
[[File:Ext3 directory entry.svg|alt=Directory Entry|thumb|Ext3 directory entry]]
So where do filenames live? In '''directory entries''', stored in the data blocks of directory inodes.
A directory in ext3 is just a file whose data blocks contain a sequence of directory records. Each record contains:
* '''Inode number''' — which inode this name refers to
* '''Record length''' (2 bytes) — how long this directory entry is
* '''Name length''' (1 byte)
* '''File type''' (1 byte) — regular file, directory, symbolic link, or unknown
* '''Name''' — variable length, name-length bytes long
The variable-length name is why ext3 supports long and short filenames without any wasted space — each record is exactly as long as it needs to be.
The special entries <code>.</code> and <code>..</code> are present in every directory, pointing to the directory itself and its parent respectively. These are ordinary directory records pointing to the appropriate inodes.
Hard links follow naturally from this structure: two directory records with different names but the same inode number. Both names refer to the same data, and the inode's link count reflects how many such references exist. A symbolic link, by contrast, points to a name — it's its own inode containing a path string.
== Navigating the Filesystem: Path Resolution ==
[[File:Ext3 path resolution.svg|alt=Path resolution flow chart|thumb|ext3 resolution of /PHOTOS/VACATION.JPG]]
Let's walk through what actually happens when the kernel needs to open <code>/photos/vacation.jpg</code>.
# '''Read inode 2''' — by convention, the root directory always lives at inode 2. This gives us a known starting point.
# '''Read the root directory's data blocks''' — scan the directory records for an entry named <code>photos</code>.
# If not found, return an error. If found, extract the inode number for <code>photos</code>.
# '''Read the photos directory inode''', then '''read its data blocks''' — scan for <code>vacation.jpg</code>.
# If not found, return an error. If found, extract the inode number.
# '''Read the vacation.jpg inode''' — now we have the file's permissions, size, and block layout.
# '''Read the data blocks''' — following the direct and indirect pointers as needed to retrieve the image data.
That's it. No following of chains across the whole disk, no fragmentation of the lookup process. Each step is bounded and predictable.
== Fragmentation and Anti-Fragmentation ==
You may have noticed that you never run a defragmenter on a Linux ext3 system, and you never need to. This isn't an accident.
Inode-based filesystems like ext3 include algorithms that actively work to prevent fragmentation during allocation. The block group structure is itself a mitigation strategy — by keeping a file's inodes and data blocks in the same block group, ext3 reduces the physical distance the disk head has to travel. The allocator tries to place new blocks near existing blocks for the same file.
ext4 (the successor) has a more sophisticated extent-based allocator, and dedicated anti-fragmentation tools like <code>e4defrag</code> exist for edge cases, but in normal operation you simply don't accumulate the fragmentation that FAT-based systems are prone to.
== Journaling ==
ext2 did not have journaling. ext3's headline feature over its predecessor was the addition of a '''journal''', which provides recovery from sudden shutdowns during disk writes.
The idea is straightforward: before writing changes to the filesystem proper, ext3 first writes a record of what it's about to do to the '''journal''' — a reserved area of the disk. Only after the journal entry is committed does it proceed with the actual filesystem write. Once the write completes successfully, the journal entry is cleared.
If the system crashes during this process:
* '''If the journal wasn't completed''' — on restart, the filesystem simply ignores the incomplete entry. The write never happened, and the filesystem is consistent.
* '''If the journal was completed but the main write wasn't''' — on restart, the journal is replayed, completing the interrupted operation.
Either way, the filesystem comes back up in a consistent state. This is what eliminated the need for <code>fsck</code> after every unclean shutdown.
ext3 offers three journaling modes — journal, ordered, and writeback — which differ in how aggressively they journal data blocks versus metadata. The details are worth understanding, but for our purposes the key insight is the write-ahead logging principle: ''record what you're going to do before you do it''.
For a concrete implementation of this idea, the xv6 reading is excellent. xv6 calls it ''logging'' rather than journaling, but it's the same concept, and the xv6 source is clean enough to follow step by step.
== ext3 vs. FAT32: The Trade-offs ==
Inode systems are more robust, don't fragment, and are easier to navigate. So why does FAT32 still exist?
The answer is overhead. When you format an ext3 volume, you pay the filesystem's cost up front. All those inodes have to be allocated immediately — you're typically giving up between 14% and 20% of your disk to filesystem structures before you store a single byte of user data. After that you're fine, but that initial cost is fixed.
More importantly, you set the maximum number of files at format time. If you want to store millions of small files, you need to have allocated millions of inodes. A filesystem formatted for large files can run out of inodes before it runs out of disk space.
FAT32, by contrast, sizes itself to whatever you put on it. The file allocation table grows as you add files. This makes FAT32 a better fit for removable media — think camera memory cards, where you might have hundreds of thousands of small image files and you want the filesystem to be as lean as possible.
For general-purpose long-term storage, inodes win. For small removable media with highly variable workloads, FAT's flexibility is genuinely useful.
== The xv6 Connection ==
We won't be implementing an inode filesystem from scratch — you've already got that experience from BFS, and the xv6 source gives you a production-quality implementation to study. As you work through the xv6 filesystem chapter this week, pay attention to how it handles:
* The on-disk layout and how it maps to what we've described here
* The logging (journaling) implementation
* The block cache and how it mediates between the filesystem and the disk
xv6 is small enough to read completely and large enough to be real. That's a rare combination.
== Summary ==
Inode systems represent a mature approach to filesystem design:
* '''Inodes''' are fixed-size index nodes, one per file or directory, stored in a flat table
* '''Metadata''' lives in the inode; '''names''' live in directory entries
* '''Block addressing''' uses a tree of direct and indirect pointers, scaling from 48 KB to several terabytes
* '''Block groups''' subdivide the disk for locality and manageability
* '''Journaling''' provides crash recovery via write-ahead logging
* '''Anti-fragmentation algorithms''' keep the disk tidy without manual intervention
The trade-off against FAT32 is real but usually favorable: you pay more overhead up front, but you get a more robust, faster, and self-maintaining filesystem in return.
pz2y1yx6u7wgn7on085cvodnr0nou84
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2805725
2026-04-21T01:45:52Z
Pngwen
3025274
added [[Category:Operating systems]] using [[Help:Gadget-HotCat|HotCat]]
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wikitext
text/x-wiki
== Objectives ==
# Explore the basic concepts of inode based filesystems.
# Look into some of the specific implementation details of the ext3 filesystem.
# Compare and contrast ext3 and FAT file systems.
== Reading ==
* [https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~remzi/OSTEP/file-implementation.pdf OSTEP Chapter 40 - File System Implementation]
* [https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~remzi/OSTEP/file-ffs.pdf OSTEP Chapter 41 - Fast File System]
* [https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~remzi/OSTEP/file-journaling.pdf OSTEP Chapter 42 - FSCK and Journaling]
* [https://pdos.csail.mit.edu/6.1810/2025/xv6/book-riscv-rev5.pdf xv6 Chapter 10 - File system]
== Review: Where We Left Off ==
Last week we took a close look at the FAT32 filesystem, and then we set the stage for our own modest imitation of it with the Brittle File System. If you recall, FAT32 works essentially like a linked list on disk. You establish a chain of clusters in the cluster chain table, and the metadata for your files is spread throughout the whole filesystem. To find a file, you locate the directory entry to find where the file begins, then you follow the chain through the cluster table until you hit the end-of-file marker.
As we discussed, that approach is a little brittle. Flip a bit here, lose a byte of the cluster table there, and you can lose large chunks of the filesystem in one shot — you might even end up with portions of the filesystem merging together in strange ways. There's a lot that can go wrong.
Most modern filesystems have moved away from that layout. Today we're going to look at a more contemporary approach — the way Linux does it, and in fact the way most serious filesystems do it. We're going to use '''ext3''' as our case study.
It's worth noting that the ideas we cover today aren't ext3-specific. NTFS does the same basic thing with slightly different terminology and a different volume layout. So does the macOS filesystem. The details differ, but the core concepts transfer cleanly.
== The Inode Concept ==
Inode-based filesystems work by maintaining a set of fixed-size structures called '''index nodes''', or '''inodes'''. The name is straightforward: the ''i'' stands for ''indexed''. These are indexed nodes.
Every file and every directory in the filesystem is represented by exactly one inode. Inodes are fixed in size — 128 bytes in ext3 — and they live at known, discrete locations on disk in a structure called the '''inode table'''. The inode table is nothing but a flat array of these things. When we say "file number 47," we mean the file whose inode sits at index 47 in that table.
This is a fundamentally different philosophy from FAT32. In FAT32, the metadata for a file is scattered across the disk — you have to follow the chain to understand the layout. In an inode system, as long as the inode itself is intact, you know exactly where every piece of the file lives. No chaining, no following along. And if an inode does get corrupted, the damage is contained to exactly one file. That's already a significant improvement in robustness.
One thing to note right away: '''the filename is not stored in the inode'''. This surprises people. The inode represents the file's data and most of its metadata, but the name belongs somewhere else. We'll come back to why in a moment.
== ext3 Volume Layout ==
[[File:Ext3 volume layout.svg|alt=Volume Layout|thumb|ext3 Volume Layout]]
'''ext3''' stands for the Third Extended Filesystem. There was an Extended Filesystem, then ext2, then ext3, and — in a fit of wild creativity — ext4 followed. Most modern Linux installations use ext4, but the architecture is the same as what we're describing here, just with additional features layered on.
=== The Boot Block and Block Groups ===
The ext3 volume starts with a '''boot block'''. This is a concession to PC hardware, which has expected a boot block at the beginning of every volume going back to the DOS era. After that, the disk is divided into a series of '''block groups'''.
This subdivision is the key structural decision in ext3. Rather than treating the entire disk as one undifferentiated space, ext3 repeats a basic structure — the block group — over and over from the beginning of the disk to the end. Think of it as tiling the disk with identical units.
'''Block group 0''' contains the '''superblock'''. The superblock is the master record for the entire filesystem. It contains:
* '''Inode count''' — the total number of inodes in the filesystem
* '''Block count''' — the total number of blocks
* '''Block size''' — either 1 KB, 2 KB, or 4 KB; this is chosen at format time
* '''Inodes per group''' — how many inodes each block group holds
* '''Blocks per group''' — how many data blocks each block group holds
These are tunable parameters set when the filesystem is formatted. If you're going to store very large files, you might configure fewer block groups with larger blocks. If you're going to store millions of small files, you'd want more inodes per group. The user specifies their preferences at format time, and the system arranges the disk accordingly.
Block group 1 contains a backup copy of the superblock, as a hedge against corruption. After that, block groups continue to the end of the disk.
=== Inside a Block Group ===
[[File:Ext3 block group.svg|alt=Block Group Structure|thumb|Internal structure of an ext3 block group.]]
Each block group has its own internal structure. In order, it contains:
* '''Superblock''' (backup, or the primary in block group 0)
* '''Group descriptor table''' — contains the block bitmap, inode bitmap, and a pointer to the inode table
* '''Block bitmap''' — one bit per data block; 1 means allocated, 0 means free
* '''Inode bitmap''' — one bit per inode; tracks which inodes are in use
* '''Inode table''' — the actual array of 128-byte inode records
* '''Data blocks''' — the bulk of the group; this is where file content and directory entries live
The data blocks are by far the largest segment. The bitmaps give us O(1) allocation decisions — finding a free block or a free inode is just a matter of scanning a bitmap for a zero bit.
One subtlety: you can't tell whether an inode is allocated or free just by looking at the inode itself. That's what the inode bitmap is for.
== The Inode Structure ==
[[File:Ext3 inode.svg|alt=Ext3 inode layout|thumb|Ext3 inode layout]]
So what's actually in an inode? Quite a bit:
* '''Mode''' — file permissions (read/write/execute for owner, group, others)
* '''User ID''' — who owns the file
* '''Group ID''' — the owning group (remember, UNIX has both user and group ownership)
* '''File size'''
* '''Access time, creation time, modification time, deletion time'''
* '''Link count''' — how many directory entries point to this inode
* '''Flags and OS-specific fields'''
* '''A table of 12 block pointers''' — direct pointers to data blocks
Notice again what's absent: the filename. The inode knows everything about the file's data and permissions, but it doesn't know what the file is called. That separation is intentional, and it's what enables features like hard links — two different names pointing to the same inode.
=== Block Addressing: Direct and Indirect Pointers ===
[[File:Ext3 block pointer tree.svg|alt=ext3 block pointer tree|thumb|Ext3 block pointer tree]]
Twelve direct block pointers sounds limiting, and it is. With 4 KB blocks (the most common size in modern filesystems), twelve direct pointers gives you 48 KB. That's not very big.
ext3 extends the addressable range with a hierarchy of indirection:
'''Single indirect pointer:''' Points to a block that contains nothing but block numbers. With 4-byte block numbers and 4 KB blocks, that's 1,024 entries. Single indirection gets you 1,024 × 4 KB = '''4 MB'''.
'''Double indirect pointer:''' Points to a block of indirect block pointers, each of which points to a block of data block numbers. That's 1,024 × 1,024 entries, giving you '''4 GB'''.
'''Triple indirect pointer:''' One more layer. 1,024 × 1,024 × 1,024 entries, for a theoretical maximum of '''4 TB'''.
Adding it all together:
* Direct: 48 KB
* Single indirect: 4 MB
* Double indirect: 4 GB
* Triple indirect: 4 TB
The practical limit for 32-bit block addressing is about 2 TB, and there are ext3 extensions that push further, but for most purposes this is more than sufficient.
Notice that this is a tree, not a chain. If a node in the middle of the tree gets corrupted, you lose access to that subtree — but other files are completely unaffected.
== Directory Structure ==
[[File:Ext3 directory entry.svg|alt=Directory Entry|thumb|Ext3 directory entry]]
So where do filenames live? In '''directory entries''', stored in the data blocks of directory inodes.
A directory in ext3 is just a file whose data blocks contain a sequence of directory records. Each record contains:
* '''Inode number''' — which inode this name refers to
* '''Record length''' (2 bytes) — how long this directory entry is
* '''Name length''' (1 byte)
* '''File type''' (1 byte) — regular file, directory, symbolic link, or unknown
* '''Name''' — variable length, name-length bytes long
The variable-length name is why ext3 supports long and short filenames without any wasted space — each record is exactly as long as it needs to be.
The special entries <code>.</code> and <code>..</code> are present in every directory, pointing to the directory itself and its parent respectively. These are ordinary directory records pointing to the appropriate inodes.
Hard links follow naturally from this structure: two directory records with different names but the same inode number. Both names refer to the same data, and the inode's link count reflects how many such references exist. A symbolic link, by contrast, points to a name — it's its own inode containing a path string.
== Navigating the Filesystem: Path Resolution ==
[[File:Ext3 path resolution.svg|alt=Path resolution flow chart|thumb|ext3 resolution of /PHOTOS/VACATION.JPG]]
Let's walk through what actually happens when the kernel needs to open <code>/photos/vacation.jpg</code>.
# '''Read inode 2''' — by convention, the root directory always lives at inode 2. This gives us a known starting point.
# '''Read the root directory's data blocks''' — scan the directory records for an entry named <code>photos</code>.
# If not found, return an error. If found, extract the inode number for <code>photos</code>.
# '''Read the photos directory inode''', then '''read its data blocks''' — scan for <code>vacation.jpg</code>.
# If not found, return an error. If found, extract the inode number.
# '''Read the vacation.jpg inode''' — now we have the file's permissions, size, and block layout.
# '''Read the data blocks''' — following the direct and indirect pointers as needed to retrieve the image data.
That's it. No following of chains across the whole disk, no fragmentation of the lookup process. Each step is bounded and predictable.
== Fragmentation and Anti-Fragmentation ==
You may have noticed that you never run a defragmenter on a Linux ext3 system, and you never need to. This isn't an accident.
Inode-based filesystems like ext3 include algorithms that actively work to prevent fragmentation during allocation. The block group structure is itself a mitigation strategy — by keeping a file's inodes and data blocks in the same block group, ext3 reduces the physical distance the disk head has to travel. The allocator tries to place new blocks near existing blocks for the same file.
ext4 (the successor) has a more sophisticated extent-based allocator, and dedicated anti-fragmentation tools like <code>e4defrag</code> exist for edge cases, but in normal operation you simply don't accumulate the fragmentation that FAT-based systems are prone to.
== Journaling ==
ext2 did not have journaling. ext3's headline feature over its predecessor was the addition of a '''journal''', which provides recovery from sudden shutdowns during disk writes.
The idea is straightforward: before writing changes to the filesystem proper, ext3 first writes a record of what it's about to do to the '''journal''' — a reserved area of the disk. Only after the journal entry is committed does it proceed with the actual filesystem write. Once the write completes successfully, the journal entry is cleared.
If the system crashes during this process:
* '''If the journal wasn't completed''' — on restart, the filesystem simply ignores the incomplete entry. The write never happened, and the filesystem is consistent.
* '''If the journal was completed but the main write wasn't''' — on restart, the journal is replayed, completing the interrupted operation.
Either way, the filesystem comes back up in a consistent state. This is what eliminated the need for <code>fsck</code> after every unclean shutdown.
ext3 offers three journaling modes — journal, ordered, and writeback — which differ in how aggressively they journal data blocks versus metadata. The details are worth understanding, but for our purposes the key insight is the write-ahead logging principle: ''record what you're going to do before you do it''.
For a concrete implementation of this idea, the xv6 reading is excellent. xv6 calls it ''logging'' rather than journaling, but it's the same concept, and the xv6 source is clean enough to follow step by step.
== ext3 vs. FAT32: The Trade-offs ==
Inode systems are more robust, don't fragment, and are easier to navigate. So why does FAT32 still exist?
The answer is overhead. When you format an ext3 volume, you pay the filesystem's cost up front. All those inodes have to be allocated immediately — you're typically giving up between 14% and 20% of your disk to filesystem structures before you store a single byte of user data. After that you're fine, but that initial cost is fixed.
More importantly, you set the maximum number of files at format time. If you want to store millions of small files, you need to have allocated millions of inodes. A filesystem formatted for large files can run out of inodes before it runs out of disk space.
FAT32, by contrast, sizes itself to whatever you put on it. The file allocation table grows as you add files. This makes FAT32 a better fit for removable media — think camera memory cards, where you might have hundreds of thousands of small image files and you want the filesystem to be as lean as possible.
For general-purpose long-term storage, inodes win. For small removable media with highly variable workloads, FAT's flexibility is genuinely useful.
== The xv6 Connection ==
We won't be implementing an inode filesystem from scratch — you've already got that experience from BFS, and the xv6 source gives you a production-quality implementation to study. As you work through the xv6 filesystem chapter this week, pay attention to how it handles:
* The on-disk layout and how it maps to what we've described here
* The logging (journaling) implementation
* The block cache and how it mediates between the filesystem and the disk
xv6 is small enough to read completely and large enough to be real. That's a rare combination.
== Summary ==
Inode systems represent a mature approach to filesystem design:
* '''Inodes''' are fixed-size index nodes, one per file or directory, stored in a flat table
* '''Metadata''' lives in the inode; '''names''' live in directory entries
* '''Block addressing''' uses a tree of direct and indirect pointers, scaling from 48 KB to several terabytes
* '''Block groups''' subdivide the disk for locality and manageability
* '''Journaling''' provides crash recovery via write-ahead logging
* '''Anti-fragmentation algorithms''' keep the disk tidy without manual intervention
The trade-off against FAT32 is real but usually favorable: you pay more overhead up front, but you get a more robust, faster, and self-maintaining filesystem in return.
[[Category:Operating systems]]
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text/x-wiki
== Objectives ==
# Explore the basic concepts of inode based filesystems.
# Look into some of the specific implementation details of the ext3 filesystem.
# Compare and contrast ext3 and FAT file systems.
== Reading ==
* [https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~remzi/OSTEP/file-implementation.pdf OSTEP Chapter 40 - File System Implementation]
* [https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~remzi/OSTEP/file-ffs.pdf OSTEP Chapter 41 - Fast File System]
* [https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~remzi/OSTEP/file-journaling.pdf OSTEP Chapter 42 - FSCK and Journaling]
* [https://pdos.csail.mit.edu/6.1810/2025/xv6/book-riscv-rev5.pdf xv6 Chapter 10 - File system]
== Review: Where We Left Off ==
Last week we took a close look at the FAT32 filesystem, and then we set the stage for our own modest imitation of it with the Brittle File System. If you recall, FAT32 works essentially like a linked list on disk. You establish a chain of clusters in the cluster chain table, and the metadata for your files is spread throughout the whole filesystem. To find a file, you locate the directory entry to find where the file begins, then you follow the chain through the cluster table until you hit the end-of-file marker.
As we discussed, that approach is a little brittle. Flip a bit here, lose a byte of the cluster table there, and you can lose large chunks of the filesystem in one shot — you might even end up with portions of the filesystem merging together in strange ways. There's a lot that can go wrong.
Most modern filesystems have moved away from that layout. Today we're going to look at a more contemporary approach — the way Linux does it, and in fact the way most serious filesystems do it. We're going to use '''ext3''' as our case study.
It's worth noting that the ideas we cover today aren't ext3-specific. NTFS does the same basic thing with slightly different terminology and a different volume layout. So does the macOS filesystem. The details differ, but the core concepts transfer cleanly.
== The Inode Concept ==
Inode-based filesystems work by maintaining a set of fixed-size structures called '''index nodes''', or '''inodes'''. The name is straightforward: the ''i'' stands for ''indexed''. These are indexed nodes.
Every file and every directory in the filesystem is represented by exactly one inode. Inodes are fixed in size — 128 bytes in ext3 — and they live at known, discrete locations on disk in a structure called the '''inode table'''. The inode table is nothing but a flat array of these things. When we say "file number 47," we mean the file whose inode sits at index 47 in that table.
This is a fundamentally different philosophy from FAT32. In FAT32, the metadata for a file is scattered across the disk — you have to follow the chain to understand the layout. In an inode system, as long as the inode itself is intact, you know exactly where every piece of the file lives. No chaining, no following along. And if an inode does get corrupted, the damage is contained to exactly one file. That's already a significant improvement in robustness.
One thing to note right away: '''the filename is not stored in the inode'''. This surprises people. The inode represents the file's data and most of its metadata, but the name belongs somewhere else. We'll come back to why in a moment.
== ext3 Volume Layout ==
[[File:Ext3 volume layout.svg|alt=Volume Layout|thumb|ext3 Volume Layout]]
'''ext3''' stands for the Third Extended Filesystem. There was an Extended Filesystem, then ext2, then ext3, and — in a fit of wild creativity — ext4 followed. Most modern Linux installations use ext4, but the architecture is the same as what we're describing here, just with additional features layered on.
=== The Boot Block and Block Groups ===
The ext3 volume starts with a '''boot block'''. This is a concession to PC hardware, which has expected a boot block at the beginning of every volume going back to the DOS era. After that, the disk is divided into a series of '''block groups'''.
This subdivision is the key structural decision in ext3. Rather than treating the entire disk as one undifferentiated space, ext3 repeats a basic structure — the block group — over and over from the beginning of the disk to the end. Think of it as tiling the disk with identical units.
'''Block group 0''' contains the '''superblock'''. The superblock is the master record for the entire filesystem. It contains:
* '''Inode count''' — the total number of inodes in the filesystem
* '''Block count''' — the total number of blocks
* '''Block size''' — either 1 KB, 2 KB, or 4 KB; this is chosen at format time
* '''Inodes per group''' — how many inodes each block group holds
* '''Blocks per group''' — how many data blocks each block group holds
These are tunable parameters set when the filesystem is formatted. If you're going to store very large files, you might configure fewer block groups with larger blocks. If you're going to store millions of small files, you'd want more inodes per group. The user specifies their preferences at format time, and the system arranges the disk accordingly.
Block group 1 contains a backup copy of the superblock, as a hedge against corruption. After that, block groups continue to the end of the disk.
=== Inside a Block Group ===
[[File:Ext3 block group.svg|alt=Block Group Structure|thumb|Internal structure of an ext3 block group.]]
Each block group has its own internal structure. In order, it contains:
* '''Superblock''' (backup, or the primary in block group 0)
* '''Group descriptor table''' — contains the block bitmap, inode bitmap, and a pointer to the inode table
* '''Block bitmap''' — one bit per data block; 1 means allocated, 0 means free
* '''Inode bitmap''' — one bit per inode; tracks which inodes are in use
* '''Inode table''' — the actual array of 128-byte inode records
* '''Data blocks''' — the bulk of the group; this is where file content and directory entries live
The data blocks are by far the largest segment. The bitmaps give us O(1) allocation decisions — finding a free block or a free inode is just a matter of scanning a bitmap for a zero bit.
One subtlety: you can't tell whether an inode is allocated or free just by looking at the inode itself. That's what the inode bitmap is for.
== The Inode Structure ==
[[File:Ext3 inode.svg|alt=Ext3 inode layout|thumb|Ext3 inode layout]]
So what's actually in an inode? Quite a bit:
* '''Mode''' — file permissions (read/write/execute for owner, group, others)
* '''User ID''' — who owns the file
* '''Group ID''' — the owning group (remember, UNIX has both user and group ownership)
* '''File size'''
* '''Access time, creation time, modification time, deletion time'''
* '''Link count''' — how many directory entries point to this inode
* '''Flags and OS-specific fields'''
* '''A table of 12 block pointers''' — direct pointers to data blocks
Notice again what's absent: the filename. The inode knows everything about the file's data and permissions, but it doesn't know what the file is called. That separation is intentional, and it's what enables features like hard links — two different names pointing to the same inode.
=== Block Addressing: Direct and Indirect Pointers ===
[[File:Ext3 block pointer tree.svg|alt=ext3 block pointer tree|thumb|Ext3 block pointer tree]]
Twelve direct block pointers sounds limiting, and it is. With 4 KB blocks (the most common size in modern filesystems), twelve direct pointers gives you 48 KB. That's not very big.
ext3 extends the addressable range with a hierarchy of indirection:
'''Single indirect pointer:''' Points to a block that contains nothing but block numbers. With 4-byte block numbers and 4 KB blocks, that's 1,024 entries. Single indirection gets you 1,024 × 4 KB = '''4 MB'''.
'''Double indirect pointer:''' Points to a block of indirect block pointers, each of which points to a block of data block numbers. That's 1,024 × 1,024 entries, giving you '''4 GB'''.
'''Triple indirect pointer:''' One more layer. 1,024 × 1,024 × 1,024 entries, for a theoretical maximum of '''4 TB'''.
Adding it all together:
* Direct: 48 KB
* Single indirect: 4 MB
* Double indirect: 4 GB
* Triple indirect: 4 TB
The practical limit for 32-bit block addressing is about 2 TB, and there are ext3 extensions that push further, but for most purposes this is more than sufficient.
Notice that this is a tree, not a chain. If a node in the middle of the tree gets corrupted, you lose access to that subtree — but other files are completely unaffected.
== Directory Structure ==
[[File:Ext3 directory entry.svg|alt=Directory Entry|thumb|Ext3 directory entry]]
So where do filenames live? In '''directory entries''', stored in the data blocks of directory inodes.
A directory in ext3 is just a file whose data blocks contain a sequence of directory records. Each record contains:
* '''Inode number''' — which inode this name refers to
* '''Record length''' (2 bytes) — how long this directory entry is
* '''Name length''' (1 byte)
* '''File type''' (1 byte) — regular file, directory, symbolic link, or unknown
* '''Name''' — variable length, name-length bytes long
The variable-length name is why ext3 supports long and short filenames without any wasted space — each record is exactly as long as it needs to be.
The special entries <code>.</code> and <code>..</code> are present in every directory, pointing to the directory itself and its parent respectively. These are ordinary directory records pointing to the appropriate inodes.
Hard links follow naturally from this structure: two directory records with different names but the same inode number. Both names refer to the same data, and the inode's link count reflects how many such references exist. A symbolic link, by contrast, points to a name — it's its own inode containing a path string.
== Navigating the Filesystem: Path Resolution ==
[[File:Ext3 path resolution.svg|alt=Path resolution flow chart|thumb|ext3 resolution of /PHOTOS/VACATION.JPG]]
Let's walk through what actually happens when the kernel needs to open <code>/photos/vacation.jpg</code>.
# '''Read inode 2''' — by convention, the root directory always lives at inode 2. This gives us a known starting point.
# '''Read the root directory's data blocks''' — scan the directory records for an entry named <code>photos</code>.
# If not found, return an error. If found, extract the inode number for <code>photos</code>.
# '''Read the photos directory inode''', then '''read its data blocks''' — scan for <code>vacation.jpg</code>.
# If not found, return an error. If found, extract the inode number.
# '''Read the vacation.jpg inode''' — now we have the file's permissions, size, and block layout.
# '''Read the data blocks''' — following the direct and indirect pointers as needed to retrieve the image data.
That's it. No following of chains across the whole disk, no fragmentation of the lookup process. Each step is bounded and predictable.
== Fragmentation and Anti-Fragmentation ==
You may have noticed that you never run a defragmenter on a Linux ext3 system, and you never need to. This isn't an accident.
Inode-based filesystems like ext3 include algorithms that actively work to prevent fragmentation during allocation. The block group structure is itself a mitigation strategy — by keeping a file's inodes and data blocks in the same block group, ext3 reduces the physical distance the disk head has to travel. The allocator tries to place new blocks near existing blocks for the same file.
ext4 (the successor) has a more sophisticated extent-based allocator, and dedicated anti-fragmentation tools like <code>e4defrag</code> exist for edge cases, but in normal operation you simply don't accumulate the fragmentation that FAT-based systems are prone to.
== Journaling ==
ext2 did not have journaling. ext3's headline feature over its predecessor was the addition of a '''journal''', which provides recovery from sudden shutdowns during disk writes.
The idea is straightforward: before writing changes to the filesystem proper, ext3 first writes a record of what it's about to do to the '''journal''' — a reserved area of the disk. Only after the journal entry is committed does it proceed with the actual filesystem write. Once the write completes successfully, the journal entry is cleared.
If the system crashes during this process:
* '''If the journal wasn't completed''' — on restart, the filesystem simply ignores the incomplete entry. The write never happened, and the filesystem is consistent.
* '''If the journal was completed but the main write wasn't''' — on restart, the journal is replayed, completing the interrupted operation.
Either way, the filesystem comes back up in a consistent state. This is what eliminated the need for <code>fsck</code> after every unclean shutdown.
ext3 offers three journaling modes — journal, ordered, and writeback — which differ in how aggressively they journal data blocks versus metadata. The details are worth understanding, but for our purposes the key insight is the write-ahead logging principle: ''record what you're going to do before you do it''.
For a concrete implementation of this idea, the xv6 reading is excellent. xv6 calls it ''logging'' rather than journaling, but it's the same concept, and the xv6 source is clean enough to follow step by step.
== ext3 vs. FAT32: The Trade-offs ==
Inode systems are more robust, don't fragment, and are easier to navigate. So why does FAT32 still exist?
The answer is overhead. When you format an ext3 volume, you pay the filesystem's cost up front. All those inodes have to be allocated immediately — you're typically giving up between 14% and 20% of your disk to filesystem structures before you store a single byte of user data. After that you're fine, but that initial cost is fixed.
More importantly, you set the maximum number of files at format time. If you want to store millions of small files, you need to have allocated millions of inodes. A filesystem formatted for large files can run out of inodes before it runs out of disk space.
FAT32, by contrast, sizes itself to whatever you put on it. The file allocation table grows as you add files. This makes FAT32 a better fit for removable media — think camera memory cards, where you might have hundreds of thousands of small image files and you want the filesystem to be as lean as possible.
For general-purpose long-term storage, inodes win. For small removable media with highly variable workloads, FAT's flexibility is genuinely useful.
== The xv6 Connection ==
We won't be implementing an inode filesystem from scratch — you've already got that experience from BFS, and the xv6 source gives you a production-quality implementation to study. As you work through the xv6 filesystem chapter this week, pay attention to how it handles:
* The on-disk layout and how it maps to what we've described here
* The logging (journaling) implementation
* The block cache and how it mediates between the filesystem and the disk
xv6 is small enough to read completely and large enough to be real. That's a rare combination.
== Summary ==
Inode systems represent a mature approach to filesystem design:
* '''Inodes''' are fixed-size index nodes, one per file or directory, stored in a flat table
* '''Metadata''' lives in the inode; '''names''' live in directory entries
* '''Block addressing''' uses a tree of direct and indirect pointers, scaling from 48 KB to several terabytes
* '''Block groups''' subdivide the disk for locality and manageability
* '''Journaling''' provides crash recovery via write-ahead logging
* '''Anti-fragmentation algorithms''' keep the disk tidy without manual intervention
The trade-off against FAT32 is real but usually favorable: you pay more overhead up front, but you get a more robust, faster, and self-maintaining filesystem in return.
[[Category:Operating systems]]
[[Category:File system]]
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text/x-wiki
== Objectives ==
# Explore the basic concepts of inode based filesystems.
# Look into some of the specific implementation details of the ext3 filesystem.
# Compare and contrast ext3 and FAT file systems.
== Reading ==
* [https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~remzi/OSTEP/file-implementation.pdf OSTEP Chapter 40 - File System Implementation]
* [https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~remzi/OSTEP/file-ffs.pdf OSTEP Chapter 41 - Fast File System]
* [https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~remzi/OSTEP/file-journaling.pdf OSTEP Chapter 42 - FSCK and Journaling]
* [https://pdos.csail.mit.edu/6.1810/2025/xv6/book-riscv-rev5.pdf xv6 Chapter 10 - File system]
== Review: Where We Left Off ==
Last week we took a close look at the FAT32 filesystem, and then we set the stage for our own modest imitation of it with the Brittle File System. If you recall, FAT32 works essentially like a linked list on disk. You establish a chain of clusters in the cluster chain table, and the metadata for your files is spread throughout the whole filesystem. To find a file, you locate the directory entry to find where the file begins, then you follow the chain through the cluster table until you hit the end-of-file marker.
As we discussed, that approach is a little brittle. Flip a bit here, lose a byte of the cluster table there, and you can lose large chunks of the filesystem in one shot — you might even end up with portions of the filesystem merging together in strange ways. There's a lot that can go wrong.
Most modern filesystems have moved away from that layout. Today we're going to look at a more contemporary approach — the way Linux does it, and in fact the way most serious filesystems do it. We're going to use '''ext3''' as our case study.
It's worth noting that the ideas we cover today aren't ext3-specific. NTFS does the same basic thing with slightly different terminology and a different volume layout. So does the macOS filesystem. The details differ, but the core concepts transfer cleanly.
== The Inode Concept ==
Inode-based filesystems work by maintaining a set of fixed-size structures called '''index nodes''', or '''inodes'''. The name is straightforward: the ''i'' stands for ''indexed''. These are indexed nodes.
Every file and every directory in the filesystem is represented by exactly one inode. Inodes are fixed in size — 128 bytes in ext3 — and they live at known, discrete locations on disk in a structure called the '''inode table'''. The inode table is nothing but a flat array of these things. When we say "file number 47," we mean the file whose inode sits at index 47 in that table.
This is a fundamentally different philosophy from FAT32. In FAT32, the metadata for a file is scattered across the disk — you have to follow the chain to understand the layout. In an inode system, as long as the inode itself is intact, you know exactly where every piece of the file lives. No chaining, no following along. And if an inode does get corrupted, the damage is contained to exactly one file. That's already a significant improvement in robustness.
One thing to note right away: '''the filename is not stored in the inode'''. This surprises people. The inode represents the file's data and most of its metadata, but the name belongs somewhere else. We'll come back to why in a moment.
== ext3 Volume Layout ==
[[File:Ext3 volume layout.svg|alt=Volume Layout|thumb|ext3 Volume Layout]]
'''ext3''' stands for the Third Extended Filesystem. There was an Extended Filesystem, then ext2, then ext3, and — in a fit of wild creativity — ext4 followed. Most modern Linux installations use ext4, but the architecture is the same as what we're describing here, just with additional features layered on.
=== The Boot Block and Block Groups ===
The ext3 volume starts with a '''boot block'''. This is a concession to PC hardware, which has expected a boot block at the beginning of every volume going back to the DOS era. After that, the disk is divided into a series of '''block groups'''.
This subdivision is the key structural decision in ext3. Rather than treating the entire disk as one undifferentiated space, ext3 repeats a basic structure — the block group — over and over from the beginning of the disk to the end. Think of it as tiling the disk with identical units.
'''Block group 0''' contains the '''superblock'''. The superblock is the master record for the entire filesystem. It contains:
* '''Inode count''' — the total number of inodes in the filesystem
* '''Block count''' — the total number of blocks
* '''Block size''' — either 1 KB, 2 KB, or 4 KB; this is chosen at format time
* '''Inodes per group''' — how many inodes each block group holds
* '''Blocks per group''' — how many data blocks each block group holds
These are tunable parameters set when the filesystem is formatted. If you're going to store very large files, you might configure fewer block groups with larger blocks. If you're going to store millions of small files, you'd want more inodes per group. The user specifies their preferences at format time, and the system arranges the disk accordingly.
Block group 1 contains a backup copy of the superblock, as a hedge against corruption. After that, block groups continue to the end of the disk.
=== Inside a Block Group ===
[[File:Ext3 block group.svg|alt=Block Group Structure|thumb|Internal structure of an ext3 block group.]]
Each block group has its own internal structure. In order, it contains:
* '''Superblock''' (backup, or the primary in block group 0)
* '''Group descriptor table''' — contains the block bitmap, inode bitmap, and a pointer to the inode table
* '''Block bitmap''' — one bit per data block; 1 means allocated, 0 means free
* '''Inode bitmap''' — one bit per inode; tracks which inodes are in use
* '''Inode table''' — the actual array of 128-byte inode records
* '''Data blocks''' — the bulk of the group; this is where file content and directory entries live
The data blocks are by far the largest segment. The bitmaps give us O(1) allocation decisions — finding a free block or a free inode is just a matter of scanning a bitmap for a zero bit.
One subtlety: you can't tell whether an inode is allocated or free just by looking at the inode itself. That's what the inode bitmap is for.
== The Inode Structure ==
[[File:Ext3 inode.svg|alt=Ext3 inode layout|thumb|Ext3 inode layout]]
So what's actually in an inode? Quite a bit:
* '''Mode''' — file permissions (read/write/execute for owner, group, others)
* '''User ID''' — who owns the file
* '''Group ID''' — the owning group (remember, UNIX has both user and group ownership)
* '''File size'''
* '''Access time, creation time, modification time, deletion time'''
* '''Link count''' — how many directory entries point to this inode
* '''Flags and OS-specific fields'''
* '''A table of 12 block pointers''' — direct pointers to data blocks
Notice again what's absent: the filename. The inode knows everything about the file's data and permissions, but it doesn't know what the file is called. That separation is intentional, and it's what enables features like hard links — two different names pointing to the same inode.
=== Block Addressing: Direct and Indirect Pointers ===
[[File:Ext3 block pointer tree.svg|alt=ext3 block pointer tree|thumb|Ext3 block pointer tree]]
Twelve direct block pointers sounds limiting, and it is. With 4 KB blocks (the most common size in modern filesystems), twelve direct pointers gives you 48 KB. That's not very big.
ext3 extends the addressable range with a hierarchy of indirection:
'''Single indirect pointer:''' Points to a block that contains nothing but block numbers. With 4-byte block numbers and 4 KB blocks, that's 1,024 entries. Single indirection gets you 1,024 × 4 KB = '''4 MB'''.
'''Double indirect pointer:''' Points to a block of indirect block pointers, each of which points to a block of data block numbers. That's 1,024 × 1,024 entries, giving you '''4 GB'''.
'''Triple indirect pointer:''' One more layer. 1,024 × 1,024 × 1,024 entries, for a theoretical maximum of '''4 TB'''.
Adding it all together:
* Direct: 48 KB
* Single indirect: 4 MB
* Double indirect: 4 GB
* Triple indirect: 4 TB
The practical limit for 32-bit block addressing is about 2 TB, and there are ext3 extensions that push further, but for most purposes this is more than sufficient.
Notice that this is a tree, not a chain. If a node in the middle of the tree gets corrupted, you lose access to that subtree — but other files are completely unaffected.
== Directory Structure ==
[[File:Ext3 directory entry.svg|alt=Directory Entry|thumb|Ext3 directory entry]]
So where do filenames live? In '''directory entries''', stored in the data blocks of directory inodes.
A directory in ext3 is just a file whose data blocks contain a sequence of directory records. Each record contains:
* '''Inode number''' — which inode this name refers to
* '''Record length''' (2 bytes) — how long this directory entry is
* '''Name length''' (1 byte)
* '''File type''' (1 byte) — regular file, directory, symbolic link, or unknown
* '''Name''' — variable length, name-length bytes long
The variable-length name is why ext3 supports long and short filenames without any wasted space — each record is exactly as long as it needs to be.
The special entries <code>.</code> and <code>..</code> are present in every directory, pointing to the directory itself and its parent respectively. These are ordinary directory records pointing to the appropriate inodes.
Hard links follow naturally from this structure: two directory records with different names but the same inode number. Both names refer to the same data, and the inode's link count reflects how many such references exist. A symbolic link, by contrast, points to a name — it's its own inode containing a path string.
== Navigating the Filesystem: Path Resolution ==
[[File:Ext3 path resolution.svg|alt=Path resolution flow chart|thumb|ext3 resolution of /PHOTOS/VACATION.JPG]]
Let's walk through what actually happens when the kernel needs to open <code>/photos/vacation.jpg</code>.
# '''Read inode 2''' — by convention, the root directory always lives at inode 2. This gives us a known starting point.
# '''Read the root directory's data blocks''' — scan the directory records for an entry named <code>photos</code>.
# If not found, return an error. If found, extract the inode number for <code>photos</code>.
# '''Read the photos directory inode''', then '''read its data blocks''' — scan for <code>vacation.jpg</code>.
# If not found, return an error. If found, extract the inode number.
# '''Read the vacation.jpg inode''' — now we have the file's permissions, size, and block layout.
# '''Read the data blocks''' — following the direct and indirect pointers as needed to retrieve the image data.
That's it. No following of chains across the whole disk, no fragmentation of the lookup process. Each step is bounded and predictable.
== Fragmentation and Anti-Fragmentation ==
You may have noticed that you never run a defragmenter on a Linux ext3 system, and you never need to. This isn't an accident.
Inode-based filesystems like ext3 include algorithms that actively work to prevent fragmentation during allocation. The block group structure is itself a mitigation strategy — by keeping a file's inodes and data blocks in the same block group, ext3 reduces the physical distance the disk head has to travel. The allocator tries to place new blocks near existing blocks for the same file.
ext4 (the successor) has a more sophisticated extent-based allocator, and dedicated anti-fragmentation tools like <code>e4defrag</code> exist for edge cases, but in normal operation you simply don't accumulate the fragmentation that FAT-based systems are prone to.
== Journaling ==
ext2 did not have journaling. ext3's headline feature over its predecessor was the addition of a '''journal''', which provides recovery from sudden shutdowns during disk writes.
The idea is straightforward: before writing changes to the filesystem proper, ext3 first writes a record of what it's about to do to the '''journal''' — a reserved area of the disk. Only after the journal entry is committed does it proceed with the actual filesystem write. Once the write completes successfully, the journal entry is cleared.
If the system crashes during this process:
* '''If the journal wasn't completed''' — on restart, the filesystem simply ignores the incomplete entry. The write never happened, and the filesystem is consistent.
* '''If the journal was completed but the main write wasn't''' — on restart, the journal is replayed, completing the interrupted operation.
Either way, the filesystem comes back up in a consistent state. This is what eliminated the need for <code>fsck</code> after every unclean shutdown.
ext3 offers three journaling modes — journal, ordered, and writeback — which differ in how aggressively they journal data blocks versus metadata. The details are worth understanding, but for our purposes the key insight is the write-ahead logging principle: ''record what you're going to do before you do it''.
For a concrete implementation of this idea, the xv6 reading is excellent. xv6 calls it ''logging'' rather than journaling, but it's the same concept, and the xv6 source is clean enough to follow step by step.
== ext3 vs. FAT32: The Trade-offs ==
Inode systems are more robust, don't fragment, and are easier to navigate. So why does FAT32 still exist?
The answer is overhead. When you format an ext3 volume, you pay the filesystem's cost up front. All those inodes have to be allocated immediately — you're typically giving up between 14% and 20% of your disk to filesystem structures before you store a single byte of user data. After that you're fine, but that initial cost is fixed.
More importantly, you set the maximum number of files at format time. If you want to store millions of small files, you need to have allocated millions of inodes. A filesystem formatted for large files can run out of inodes before it runs out of disk space.
FAT32, by contrast, sizes itself to whatever you put on it. The file allocation table grows as you add files. This makes FAT32 a better fit for removable media — think camera memory cards, where you might have hundreds of thousands of small image files and you want the filesystem to be as lean as possible.
For general-purpose long-term storage, inodes win. For small removable media with highly variable workloads, FAT's flexibility is genuinely useful.
== The xv6 Connection ==
We won't be implementing an inode filesystem from scratch — you've already got that experience from BFS, and the xv6 source gives you a production-quality implementation to study. As you work through the xv6 filesystem chapter this week, pay attention to how it handles:
* The on-disk layout and how it maps to what we've described here
* The logging (journaling) implementation
* The block cache and how it mediates between the filesystem and the disk
xv6 is small enough to read completely and large enough to be real. That's a rare combination.
== Summary ==
Inode systems represent a mature approach to filesystem design:
* '''Inodes''' are fixed-size index nodes, one per file or directory, stored in a flat table
* '''Metadata''' lives in the inode; '''names''' live in directory entries
* '''Block addressing''' uses a tree of direct and indirect pointers, scaling from 48 KB to several terabytes
* '''Block groups''' subdivide the disk for locality and manageability
* '''Journaling''' provides crash recovery via write-ahead logging
* '''Anti-fragmentation algorithms''' keep the disk tidy without manual intervention
The trade-off against FAT32 is real but usually favorable: you pay more overhead up front, but you get a more robust, faster, and self-maintaining filesystem in return.
[[Category:Operating systems]]
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== Objectives ==
# Explore the basic concepts of [[w:Inode|inode]] based filesystems.
# Look into some of the specific implementation details of the [[w:Ext3|ext3]] filesystem.
# Compare and contrast ext3 and [[w:File_Allocation_Table|FAT]] file systems.
== Reading ==
* [https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~remzi/OSTEP/file-implementation.pdf OSTEP Chapter 40 - File System Implementation]
* [https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~remzi/OSTEP/file-ffs.pdf OSTEP Chapter 41 - Fast File System]
* [https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~remzi/OSTEP/file-journaling.pdf OSTEP Chapter 42 - FSCK and Journaling]
* [https://pdos.csail.mit.edu/6.1810/2025/xv6/book-riscv-rev5.pdf xv6 Chapter 10 - File system]
== Review: Where We Left Off ==
Last week we took a close look at the FAT32 filesystem, and then we set the stage for our own modest imitation of it with the Brittle File System. If you recall, FAT32 works essentially like a linked list on disk. You establish a chain of clusters in the cluster chain table, and the metadata for your files is spread throughout the whole filesystem. To find a file, you locate the directory entry to find where the file begins, then you follow the chain through the cluster table until you hit the end-of-file marker.
As we discussed, that approach is a little brittle. Flip a bit here, lose a byte of the cluster table there, and you can lose large chunks of the filesystem in one shot — you might even end up with portions of the filesystem merging together in strange ways. There's a lot that can go wrong.
Most modern filesystems have moved away from that layout. Today we're going to look at a more contemporary approach — the way Linux does it, and in fact the way most serious filesystems do it. We're going to use '''ext3''' as our case study.
It's worth noting that the ideas we cover today aren't ext3-specific. [[w:NTFS|NTFS]] does the same basic thing with slightly different terminology and a different volume layout. So does the macOS filesystem. The details differ, but the core concepts transfer cleanly.
== The Inode Concept ==
Inode-based filesystems work by maintaining a set of fixed-size structures called '''index nodes''', or '''[[w:Inode|inodes]]'''. The name is straightforward: the ''i'' stands for ''indexed''. These are indexed nodes.
Every file and every directory in the filesystem is represented by exactly one inode. Inodes are fixed in size — 128 bytes in ext3 — and they live at known, discrete locations on disk in a structure called the '''inode table'''. The inode table is nothing but a flat array of these things. When we say "file number 47," we mean the file whose inode sits at index 47 in that table.
This is a fundamentally different philosophy from FAT32. In FAT32, the metadata for a file is scattered across the disk — you have to follow the chain to understand the layout. In an inode system, as long as the inode itself is intact, you know exactly where every piece of the file lives. No chaining, no following along. And if an inode does get corrupted, the damage is contained to exactly one file. That's already a significant improvement in robustness.
One thing to note right away: '''the filename is not stored in the inode'''. This surprises people. The inode represents the file's data and most of its metadata, but the name belongs somewhere else. We'll come back to why in a moment.
== ext3 Volume Layout ==
[[File:Ext3 volume layout.svg|alt=Volume Layout|thumb|ext3 Volume Layout]]
'''ext3''' stands for the Third Extended Filesystem. There was an Extended Filesystem, then ext2, then ext3, and — in a fit of wild creativity — ext4 followed. Most modern Linux installations use ext4, but the architecture is the same as what we're describing here, just with additional features layered on.
=== The Boot Block and Block Groups ===
The ext3 volume starts with a '''[[w:Boot_sector|boot block]]'''. This is a concession to PC hardware, which has expected a boot block at the beginning of every volume going back to the DOS era. After that, the disk is divided into a series of '''block groups'''.
This subdivision is the key structural decision in ext3. Rather than treating the entire disk as one undifferentiated space, ext3 repeats a basic structure — the block group — over and over from the beginning of the disk to the end. Think of it as tiling the disk with identical units.
'''Block group 0''' contains the '''[[w:Superblock_(file_system)|superblock]]'''. The superblock is the master record for the entire filesystem. It contains:
* '''Inode count''' — the total number of inodes in the filesystem
* '''Block count''' — the total number of blocks
* '''Block size''' — either 1 KB, 2 KB, or 4 KB; this is chosen at format time
* '''Inodes per group''' — how many inodes each block group holds
* '''Blocks per group''' — how many data blocks each block group holds
These are tunable parameters set when the filesystem is formatted. If you're going to store very large files, you might configure fewer block groups with larger blocks. If you're going to store millions of small files, you'd want more inodes per group. The user specifies their preferences at format time, and the system arranges the disk accordingly.
Block group 1 contains a backup copy of the superblock, as a hedge against corruption. After that, block groups continue to the end of the disk.
=== Inside a Block Group ===
[[File:Ext3 block group.svg|alt=Block Group Structure|thumb|Internal structure of an ext3 block group.]]
Each block group has its own internal structure. In order, it contains:
* '''Superblock''' (backup, or the primary in block group 0)
* '''Group descriptor table''' — contains the block bitmap, inode bitmap, and a pointer to the inode table
* '''Block bitmap''' — one bit per data block; 1 means allocated, 0 means free
* '''Inode bitmap''' — one bit per inode; tracks which inodes are in use
* '''Inode table''' — the actual array of 128-byte inode records
* '''Data blocks''' — the bulk of the group; this is where file content and directory entries live
The data blocks are by far the largest segment. The bitmaps give us O(1) allocation decisions — finding a free block or a free inode is just a matter of scanning a bitmap for a zero bit.
One subtlety: you can't tell whether an inode is allocated or free just by looking at the inode itself. That's what the inode bitmap is for.
== The Inode Structure ==
[[File:Ext3 inode.svg|alt=Ext3 inode layout|thumb|Ext3 inode layout]]
So what's actually in an inode? Quite a bit:
* '''Mode''' — file permissions (read/write/execute for owner, group, others)
* '''User ID''' — who owns the file
* '''Group ID''' — the owning group (remember, UNIX has both user and group ownership)
* '''File size'''
* '''Access time, creation time, modification time, deletion time'''
* '''Link count''' — how many directory entries point to this inode
* '''Flags and OS-specific fields'''
* '''A table of 12 block pointers''' — direct pointers to data blocks
Notice again what's absent: the filename. The inode knows everything about the file's data and permissions, but it doesn't know what the file is called. That separation is intentional, and it's what enables features like hard links — two different names pointing to the same inode.
=== Block Addressing: Direct and Indirect Pointers ===
[[File:Ext3 block pointer tree.svg|alt=ext3 block pointer tree|thumb|Ext3 block pointer tree]]
Twelve direct block pointers sounds limiting, and it is. With 4 KB blocks (the most common size in modern filesystems), twelve direct pointers gives you 48 KB. That's not very big.
ext3 extends the addressable range with a hierarchy of indirection:
'''Single indirect pointer:''' Points to a block that contains nothing but block numbers. With 4-byte block numbers and 4 KB blocks, that's 1,024 entries. Single indirection gets you 1,024 × 4 KB = '''4 MB'''.
'''Double indirect pointer:''' Points to a block of indirect block pointers, each of which points to a block of data block numbers. That's 1,024 × 1,024 entries, giving you '''4 GB'''.
'''Triple indirect pointer:''' One more layer. 1,024 × 1,024 × 1,024 entries, for a theoretical maximum of '''4 TB'''.
Adding it all together:
* Direct: 48 KB
* Single indirect: 4 MB
* Double indirect: 4 GB
* Triple indirect: 4 TB
The practical limit for 32-bit block addressing is about 2 TB, and there are ext3 extensions that push further, but for most purposes this is more than sufficient.
Notice that this is a tree, not a chain. If a node in the middle of the tree gets corrupted, you lose access to that subtree — but other files are completely unaffected.
== Directory Structure ==
[[File:Ext3 directory entry.svg|alt=Directory Entry|thumb|Ext3 directory entry]]
So where do filenames live? In '''directory entries''', stored in the data blocks of directory inodes.
A directory in ext3 is just a file whose data blocks contain a sequence of directory records. Each record contains:
* '''Inode number''' — which inode this name refers to
* '''Record length''' (2 bytes) — how long this directory entry is
* '''Name length''' (1 byte)
* '''File type''' (1 byte) — regular file, directory, symbolic link, or unknown
* '''Name''' — variable length, name-length bytes long
The variable-length name is why ext3 supports long and short filenames without any wasted space — each record is exactly as long as it needs to be.
The special entries <code>.</code> and <code>..</code> are present in every directory, pointing to the directory itself and its parent respectively. These are ordinary directory records pointing to the appropriate inodes.
Hard links follow naturally from this structure: two directory records with different names but the same inode number. Both names refer to the same data, and the inode's link count reflects how many such references exist. A symbolic link, by contrast, points to a name — it's its own inode containing a path string.
== Navigating the Filesystem: Path Resolution ==
[[File:Ext3 path resolution.svg|alt=Path resolution flow chart|thumb|ext3 resolution of /PHOTOS/VACATION.JPG]]
Let's walk through what actually happens when the kernel needs to open <code>/photos/vacation.jpg</code>.
# '''Read inode 2''' — by convention, the root directory always lives at inode 2. This gives us a known starting point.
# '''Read the root directory's data blocks''' — scan the directory records for an entry named <code>photos</code>.
# If not found, return an error. If found, extract the inode number for <code>photos</code>.
# '''Read the photos directory inode''', then '''read its data blocks''' — scan for <code>vacation.jpg</code>.
# If not found, return an error. If found, extract the inode number.
# '''Read the vacation.jpg inode''' — now we have the file's permissions, size, and block layout.
# '''Read the data blocks''' — following the direct and indirect pointers as needed to retrieve the image data.
That's it. No following of chains across the whole disk, no fragmentation of the lookup process. Each step is bounded and predictable.
== Fragmentation and Anti-Fragmentation ==
You may have noticed that you never run a defragmenter on a Linux ext3 system, and you never need to. This isn't an accident.
Inode-based filesystems like ext3 include algorithms that actively work to prevent [[w:Fragmentation_(computing)|fragmentation]] during allocation. The block group structure is itself a mitigation strategy — by keeping a file's inodes and data blocks in the same block group, ext3 reduces the physical distance the disk head has to travel. The allocator tries to place new blocks near existing blocks for the same file.
ext4 (the successor) has a more sophisticated extent-based allocator, and dedicated anti-fragmentation tools like <code>e4defrag</code> exist for edge cases, but in normal operation you simply don't accumulate the fragmentation that FAT-based systems are prone to.
== Journaling ==
ext2 did not have journaling. ext3's headline feature over its predecessor was the addition of a '''[[w:Journaling_file_system|journal]]''', which provides recovery from sudden shutdowns during disk writes.
The idea is straightforward: before writing changes to the filesystem proper, ext3 first writes a record of what it's about to do to the '''journal''' — a reserved area of the disk. Only after the journal entry is committed does it proceed with the actual filesystem write. Once the write completes successfully, the journal entry is cleared.
If the system crashes during this process:
* '''If the journal wasn't completed''' — on restart, the filesystem simply ignores the incomplete entry. The write never happened, and the filesystem is consistent.
* '''If the journal was completed but the main write wasn't''' — on restart, the journal is replayed, completing the interrupted operation.
Either way, the filesystem comes back up in a consistent state. This is what eliminated the need for <code>fsck</code> after every unclean shutdown.
ext3 offers three journaling modes — journal, ordered, and writeback — which differ in how aggressively they journal data blocks versus metadata. The details are worth understanding, but for our purposes the key insight is the write-ahead logging principle: ''record what you're going to do before you do it''.
For a concrete implementation of this idea, the xv6 reading is excellent. xv6 calls it ''logging'' rather than journaling, but it's the same concept, and the xv6 source is clean enough to follow step by step.
== ext3 vs. FAT32: The Trade-offs ==
Inode systems are more robust, don't fragment, and are easier to navigate. So why does FAT32 still exist?
The answer is overhead. When you format an ext3 volume, you pay the filesystem's cost up front. All those inodes have to be allocated immediately — you're typically giving up between 14% and 20% of your disk to filesystem structures before you store a single byte of user data. After that you're fine, but that initial cost is fixed.
More importantly, you set the maximum number of files at format time. If you want to store millions of small files, you need to have allocated millions of inodes. A filesystem formatted for large files can run out of inodes before it runs out of disk space.
FAT32, by contrast, sizes itself to whatever you put on it. The file allocation table grows as you add files. This makes FAT32 a better fit for removable media — think camera memory cards, where you might have hundreds of thousands of small image files and you want the filesystem to be as lean as possible.
For general-purpose long-term storage, inodes win. For small removable media with highly variable workloads, FAT's flexibility is genuinely useful.
== The xv6 Connection ==
We won't be implementing an inode filesystem from scratch — you've already got that experience from BFS, and the xv6 source gives you a production-quality implementation to study. As you work through the xv6 filesystem chapter this week, pay attention to how it handles:
* The on-disk layout and how it maps to what we've described here
* The logging (journaling) implementation
* The block cache and how it mediates between the filesystem and the disk
xv6 is small enough to read completely and large enough to be real. That's a rare combination.
== Summary ==
Inode systems represent a mature approach to filesystem design:
* '''Inodes''' are fixed-size index nodes, one per file or directory, stored in a flat table
* '''Metadata''' lives in the inode; '''names''' live in directory entries
* '''Block addressing''' uses a tree of direct and indirect pointers, scaling from 48 KB to several terabytes
* '''Block groups''' subdivide the disk for locality and manageability
* '''Journaling''' provides crash recovery via write-ahead logging
* '''Anti-fragmentation algorithms''' keep the disk tidy without manual intervention
The trade-off against FAT32 is real but usually favorable: you pay more overhead up front, but you get a more robust, faster, and self-maintaining filesystem in return.
== Activities ==
# Review Quiz
[[Category:Operating systems]]
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== Objectives ==
# Explore the basic concepts of [[w:Inode|inode]] based filesystems.
# Look into some of the specific implementation details of the [[w:Ext3|ext3]] filesystem.
# Compare and contrast ext3 and [[w:File_Allocation_Table|FAT]] file systems.
== Reading ==
* [https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~remzi/OSTEP/file-implementation.pdf OSTEP Chapter 40 - File System Implementation]
* [https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~remzi/OSTEP/file-ffs.pdf OSTEP Chapter 41 - Fast File System]
* [https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~remzi/OSTEP/file-journaling.pdf OSTEP Chapter 42 - FSCK and Journaling]
* [https://pdos.csail.mit.edu/6.1810/2025/xv6/book-riscv-rev5.pdf xv6 Chapter 10 - File system]
== Review: Where We Left Off ==
Last week we took a close look at the FAT32 filesystem, and then we set the stage for our own modest imitation of it with the Brittle File System. If you recall, FAT32 works essentially like a linked list on disk. You establish a chain of clusters in the cluster chain table, and the metadata for your files is spread throughout the whole filesystem. To find a file, you locate the directory entry to find where the file begins, then you follow the chain through the cluster table until you hit the end-of-file marker.
As we discussed, that approach is a little brittle. Flip a bit here, lose a byte of the cluster table there, and you can lose large chunks of the filesystem in one shot — you might even end up with portions of the filesystem merging together in strange ways. There's a lot that can go wrong.
Most modern filesystems have moved away from that layout. Today we're going to look at a more contemporary approach — the way Linux does it, and in fact the way most serious filesystems do it. We're going to use '''ext3''' as our case study.
It's worth noting that the ideas we cover today aren't ext3-specific. [[w:NTFS|NTFS]] does the same basic thing with slightly different terminology and a different volume layout. So does the macOS filesystem. The details differ, but the core concepts transfer cleanly.
== The Inode Concept ==
Inode-based filesystems work by maintaining a set of fixed-size structures called '''index nodes''', or '''[[w:Inode|inodes]]'''. The name is straightforward: the ''i'' stands for ''indexed''. These are indexed nodes.
Every file and every directory in the filesystem is represented by exactly one inode. Inodes are fixed in size — 128 bytes in ext3 — and they live at known, discrete locations on disk in a structure called the '''inode table'''. The inode table is nothing but a flat array of these things. When we say "file number 47," we mean the file whose inode sits at index 47 in that table.
This is a fundamentally different philosophy from FAT32. In FAT32, the metadata for a file is scattered across the disk — you have to follow the chain to understand the layout. In an inode system, as long as the inode itself is intact, you know exactly where every piece of the file lives. No chaining, no following along. And if an inode does get corrupted, the damage is contained to exactly one file. That's already a significant improvement in robustness.
One thing to note right away: '''the filename is not stored in the inode'''. This surprises people. The inode represents the file's data and most of its metadata, but the name belongs somewhere else. We'll come back to why in a moment.
== ext3 Volume Layout ==
[[File:Ext3 volume layout.svg|alt=Volume Layout|thumb|ext3 Volume Layout]]
'''ext3''' stands for the Third Extended Filesystem. There was an Extended Filesystem, then ext2, then ext3, and — in a fit of wild creativity — ext4 followed. Most modern Linux installations use ext4, but the architecture is the same as what we're describing here, just with additional features layered on.
=== The Boot Block and Block Groups ===
The ext3 volume starts with a '''[[w:Boot_sector|boot block]]'''. This is a concession to PC hardware, which has expected a boot block at the beginning of every volume going back to the DOS era. After that, the disk is divided into a series of '''block groups'''.
This subdivision is the key structural decision in ext3. Rather than treating the entire disk as one undifferentiated space, ext3 repeats a basic structure — the block group — over and over from the beginning of the disk to the end. Think of it as tiling the disk with identical units.
'''Block group 0''' contains the '''[[w:Superblock_(file_system)|superblock]]'''. The superblock is the master record for the entire filesystem. It contains:
* '''Inode count''' — the total number of inodes in the filesystem
* '''Block count''' — the total number of blocks
* '''Block size''' — either 1 KB, 2 KB, or 4 KB; this is chosen at format time
* '''Inodes per group''' — how many inodes each block group holds
* '''Blocks per group''' — how many data blocks each block group holds
These are tunable parameters set when the filesystem is formatted. If you're going to store very large files, you might configure fewer block groups with larger blocks. If you're going to store millions of small files, you'd want more inodes per group. The user specifies their preferences at format time, and the system arranges the disk accordingly.
Block group 1 contains a backup copy of the superblock, as a hedge against corruption. After that, block groups continue to the end of the disk.
=== Inside a Block Group ===
[[File:Ext3 block group.svg|alt=Block Group Structure|thumb|Internal structure of an ext3 block group.]]
Each block group has its own internal structure. In order, it contains:
* '''Superblock''' (backup, or the primary in block group 0)
* '''Group descriptor table''' — contains the block bitmap, inode bitmap, and a pointer to the inode table
* '''Block bitmap''' — one bit per data block; 1 means allocated, 0 means free
* '''Inode bitmap''' — one bit per inode; tracks which inodes are in use
* '''Inode table''' — the actual array of 128-byte inode records
* '''Data blocks''' — the bulk of the group; this is where file content and directory entries live
The data blocks are by far the largest segment. The bitmaps give us O(1) allocation decisions — finding a free block or a free inode is just a matter of scanning a bitmap for a zero bit.
One subtlety: you can't tell whether an inode is allocated or free just by looking at the inode itself. That's what the inode bitmap is for.
== The Inode Structure ==
[[File:Ext3 inode.svg|alt=Ext3 inode layout|thumb|Ext3 inode layout]]
So what's actually in an inode? Quite a bit:
* '''Mode''' — file permissions (read/write/execute for owner, group, others)
* '''User ID''' — who owns the file
* '''Group ID''' — the owning group (remember, UNIX has both user and group ownership)
* '''File size'''
* '''Access time, creation time, modification time, deletion time'''
* '''Link count''' — how many directory entries point to this inode
* '''Flags and OS-specific fields'''
* '''A table of 12 block pointers''' — direct pointers to data blocks
Notice again what's absent: the filename. The inode knows everything about the file's data and permissions, but it doesn't know what the file is called. That separation is intentional, and it's what enables features like hard links — two different names pointing to the same inode.
=== Block Addressing: Direct and Indirect Pointers ===
[[File:Ext3 block pointer tree.svg|alt=ext3 block pointer tree|thumb|Ext3 block pointer tree]]
Twelve direct block pointers sounds limiting, and it is. With 4 KB blocks (the most common size in modern filesystems), twelve direct pointers gives you 48 KB. That's not very big.
ext3 extends the addressable range with a hierarchy of indirection:
'''Single indirect pointer:''' Points to a block that contains nothing but block numbers. With 4-byte block numbers and 4 KB blocks, that's 1,024 entries. Single indirection gets you 1,024 × 4 KB = '''4 MB'''.
'''Double indirect pointer:''' Points to a block of indirect block pointers, each of which points to a block of data block numbers. That's 1,024 × 1,024 entries, giving you '''4 GB'''.
'''Triple indirect pointer:''' One more layer. 1,024 × 1,024 × 1,024 entries, for a theoretical maximum of '''4 TB'''.
Adding it all together:
* Direct: 48 KB
* Single indirect: 4 MB
* Double indirect: 4 GB
* Triple indirect: 4 TB
The practical limit for 32-bit block addressing is about 2 TB, and there are ext3 extensions that push further, but for most purposes this is more than sufficient.
Notice that this is a tree, not a chain. If a node in the middle of the tree gets corrupted, you lose access to that subtree — but other files are completely unaffected.
== Directory Structure ==
[[File:Ext3 directory entry.svg|alt=Directory Entry|thumb|Ext3 directory entry]]
So where do filenames live? In '''directory entries''', stored in the data blocks of directory inodes.
A directory in ext3 is just a file whose data blocks contain a sequence of directory records. Each record contains:
* '''Inode number''' — which inode this name refers to
* '''Record length''' (2 bytes) — how long this directory entry is
* '''Name length''' (1 byte)
* '''File type''' (1 byte) — regular file, directory, symbolic link, or unknown
* '''Name''' — variable length, name-length bytes long
The variable-length name is why ext3 supports long and short filenames without any wasted space — each record is exactly as long as it needs to be.
The special entries <code>.</code> and <code>..</code> are present in every directory, pointing to the directory itself and its parent respectively. These are ordinary directory records pointing to the appropriate inodes.
Hard links follow naturally from this structure: two directory records with different names but the same inode number. Both names refer to the same data, and the inode's link count reflects how many such references exist. A symbolic link, by contrast, points to a name — it's its own inode containing a path string.
== Navigating the Filesystem: Path Resolution ==
[[File:Ext3 path resolution.svg|alt=Path resolution flow chart|thumb|ext3 resolution of /PHOTOS/VACATION.JPG]]
Let's walk through what actually happens when the kernel needs to open <code>/photos/vacation.jpg</code>.
# '''Read inode 2''' — by convention, the root directory always lives at inode 2. This gives us a known starting point.
# '''Read the root directory's data blocks''' — scan the directory records for an entry named <code>photos</code>.
# If not found, return an error. If found, extract the inode number for <code>photos</code>.
# '''Read the photos directory inode''', then '''read its data blocks''' — scan for <code>vacation.jpg</code>.
# If not found, return an error. If found, extract the inode number.
# '''Read the vacation.jpg inode''' — now we have the file's permissions, size, and block layout.
# '''Read the data blocks''' — following the direct and indirect pointers as needed to retrieve the image data.
That's it. No following of chains across the whole disk, no fragmentation of the lookup process. Each step is bounded and predictable.
== Fragmentation and Anti-Fragmentation ==
You may have noticed that you never run a defragmenter on a Linux ext3 system, and you never need to. This isn't an accident.
Inode-based filesystems like ext3 include algorithms that actively work to prevent [[w:Fragmentation_(computing)|fragmentation]] during allocation. The block group structure is itself a mitigation strategy — by keeping a file's inodes and data blocks in the same block group, ext3 reduces the physical distance the disk head has to travel. The allocator tries to place new blocks near existing blocks for the same file.
ext4 (the successor) has a more sophisticated extent-based allocator, and dedicated anti-fragmentation tools like <code>e4defrag</code> exist for edge cases, but in normal operation you simply don't accumulate the fragmentation that FAT-based systems are prone to.
== Journaling ==
ext2 did not have journaling. ext3's headline feature over its predecessor was the addition of a '''[[w:Journaling_file_system|journal]]''', which provides recovery from sudden shutdowns during disk writes.
The idea is straightforward: before writing changes to the filesystem proper, ext3 first writes a record of what it's about to do to the '''journal''' — a reserved area of the disk. Only after the journal entry is committed does it proceed with the actual filesystem write. Once the write completes successfully, the journal entry is cleared.
If the system crashes during this process:
* '''If the journal wasn't completed''' — on restart, the filesystem simply ignores the incomplete entry. The write never happened, and the filesystem is consistent.
* '''If the journal was completed but the main write wasn't''' — on restart, the journal is replayed, completing the interrupted operation.
Either way, the filesystem comes back up in a consistent state. This is what eliminated the need for <code>fsck</code> after every unclean shutdown.
ext3 offers three journaling modes — journal, ordered, and writeback — which differ in how aggressively they journal data blocks versus metadata. The details are worth understanding, but for our purposes the key insight is the write-ahead logging principle: ''record what you're going to do before you do it''.
For a concrete implementation of this idea, the xv6 reading is excellent. xv6 calls it ''logging'' rather than journaling, but it's the same concept, and the xv6 source is clean enough to follow step by step.
== ext3 vs. FAT32: The Trade-offs ==
Inode systems are more robust, don't fragment, and are easier to navigate. So why does FAT32 still exist?
The answer is overhead. When you format an ext3 volume, you pay the filesystem's cost up front. All those inodes have to be allocated immediately — you're typically giving up between 14% and 20% of your disk to filesystem structures before you store a single byte of user data. After that you're fine, but that initial cost is fixed.
More importantly, you set the maximum number of files at format time. If you want to store millions of small files, you need to have allocated millions of inodes. A filesystem formatted for large files can run out of inodes before it runs out of disk space.
FAT32, by contrast, sizes itself to whatever you put on it. The file allocation table grows as you add files. This makes FAT32 a better fit for removable media — think camera memory cards, where you might have hundreds of thousands of small image files and you want the filesystem to be as lean as possible.
For general-purpose long-term storage, inodes win. For small removable media with highly variable workloads, FAT's flexibility is genuinely useful.
== The xv6 Connection ==
We won't be implementing an inode filesystem from scratch — you've already got that experience from BFS, and the xv6 source gives you a production-quality implementation to study. As you work through the xv6 filesystem chapter this week, pay attention to how it handles:
* The on-disk layout and how it maps to what we've described here
* The logging (journaling) implementation
* The block cache and how it mediates between the filesystem and the disk
xv6 is small enough to read completely and large enough to be real. That's a rare combination.
== Summary ==
Inode systems represent a mature approach to filesystem design:
* '''Inodes''' are fixed-size index nodes, one per file or directory, stored in a flat table
* '''Metadata''' lives in the inode; '''names''' live in directory entries
* '''Block addressing''' uses a tree of direct and indirect pointers, scaling from 48 KB to several terabytes
* '''Block groups''' subdivide the disk for locality and manageability
* '''Journaling''' provides crash recovery via write-ahead logging
* '''Anti-fragmentation algorithms''' keep the disk tidy without manual intervention
The trade-off against FAT32 is real but usually favorable: you pay more overhead up front, but you get a more robust, faster, and self-maintaining filesystem in return.
== Activities ==
# [[/Review Quiz/]]
[[Category:Operating systems]]
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Operating Systems (Hands-On)/Implementing a File System/Review Quiz
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Created page with "== Ext3 Review Quiz == <quiz display=simple shuffleanswers=true> { Which field is conspicuously absent from an ext3 inode? | type="()"} + Filename - File size - Owner user ID - Modification timestamp { In ext3, what does a '0' bit in the block bitmap indicate? | type="()"} + The block is free - The block is allocated - The block has been corrupted - The block belongs to the inode table { With 4 KB blocks, how much data can a single ext3 inode address using only its 12..."
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== Ext3 Review Quiz ==
<quiz display=simple shuffleanswers=true>
{ Which field is conspicuously absent from an ext3 inode?
| type="()"}
+ Filename
- File size
- Owner user ID
- Modification timestamp
{ In ext3, what does a '0' bit in the block bitmap indicate?
| type="()"}
+ The block is free
- The block is allocated
- The block has been corrupted
- The block belongs to the inode table
{ With 4 KB blocks, how much data can a single ext3 inode address using only its 12 direct block pointers?
| type="()"}
+ 48 KB
- 4 MB
- 4 GB
- 12 KB, one block per pointer, obviously
{ By convention, which inode number always holds the root directory in ext3?
| type="()"}
+ Inode 2
- Inode 0
- Inode 1
- Whichever inode the superblock points to that day
{ What problem did journaling solve when ext3 succeeded ext2?
| type="()"}
+ The need to run fsck after every unclean shutdown
- Fragmentation of large files across block groups
- The 2 GB file size limit
- The lack of support for symbolic links
{ A filesystem formatted for large files may run out of inodes before it runs out of disk space. What does this tell you about inode-based systems?
| type="()"}
+ The maximum number of files is fixed at format time
- Inodes grow dynamically as files are added
- Large files consume more inodes than small files
- The superblock is responsible for allocating new inodes on demand
{ Why is FAT32 still commonly used on removable media like camera memory cards, despite its known weaknesses?
| type="()"}
+ Its file allocation table grows dynamically, making it well-suited to highly variable file counts
- It has better crash recovery than ext3
- It supports longer filenames than ext3
- Camera manufacturers find the linked-list structure more aesthetically pleasing
{ In ext3, a single indirect block pointer with 4 KB blocks can address approximately how much data?
| type="()"}
+ 4 MB
- 48 KB
- 4 GB
- 4 TB
{ What is the key advantage of ext3's block group structure over treating the entire disk as one flat space?
| type="()"}
+ It keeps a file's inodes and data blocks physically close together, improving locality
- It allows the filesystem to support more than 4 GB of total storage
- It eliminates the need for a superblock backup
- It makes the block bitmap unnecessary
{ In an ext3 inode system, what is a hard link?
| type="()"}
+ Two directory entries with different names pointing to the same inode number
- A special inode type that stores a path string to another file
- A copy of a file stored in a separate block group for redundancy
- An entry in the journal that records a previous write operation
</quiz>
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added [[Category:Operating systems]] using [[Help:Gadget-HotCat|HotCat]]
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wikitext
text/x-wiki
== Ext3 Review Quiz ==
<quiz display=simple shuffleanswers=true>
{ Which field is conspicuously absent from an ext3 inode?
| type="()"}
+ Filename
- File size
- Owner user ID
- Modification timestamp
{ In ext3, what does a '0' bit in the block bitmap indicate?
| type="()"}
+ The block is free
- The block is allocated
- The block has been corrupted
- The block belongs to the inode table
{ With 4 KB blocks, how much data can a single ext3 inode address using only its 12 direct block pointers?
| type="()"}
+ 48 KB
- 4 MB
- 4 GB
- 12 KB, one block per pointer, obviously
{ By convention, which inode number always holds the root directory in ext3?
| type="()"}
+ Inode 2
- Inode 0
- Inode 1
- Whichever inode the superblock points to that day
{ What problem did journaling solve when ext3 succeeded ext2?
| type="()"}
+ The need to run fsck after every unclean shutdown
- Fragmentation of large files across block groups
- The 2 GB file size limit
- The lack of support for symbolic links
{ A filesystem formatted for large files may run out of inodes before it runs out of disk space. What does this tell you about inode-based systems?
| type="()"}
+ The maximum number of files is fixed at format time
- Inodes grow dynamically as files are added
- Large files consume more inodes than small files
- The superblock is responsible for allocating new inodes on demand
{ Why is FAT32 still commonly used on removable media like camera memory cards, despite its known weaknesses?
| type="()"}
+ Its file allocation table grows dynamically, making it well-suited to highly variable file counts
- It has better crash recovery than ext3
- It supports longer filenames than ext3
- Camera manufacturers find the linked-list structure more aesthetically pleasing
{ In ext3, a single indirect block pointer with 4 KB blocks can address approximately how much data?
| type="()"}
+ 4 MB
- 48 KB
- 4 GB
- 4 TB
{ What is the key advantage of ext3's block group structure over treating the entire disk as one flat space?
| type="()"}
+ It keeps a file's inodes and data blocks physically close together, improving locality
- It allows the filesystem to support more than 4 GB of total storage
- It eliminates the need for a superblock backup
- It makes the block bitmap unnecessary
{ In an ext3 inode system, what is a hard link?
| type="()"}
+ Two directory entries with different names pointing to the same inode number
- A special inode type that stores a path string to another file
- A copy of a file stored in a separate block group for redundancy
- An entry in the journal that records a previous write operation
</quiz>
[[Category:Operating systems]]
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